Three Russian pilots kidnapped in Darfur

The U.N. World Food Programme confirmed three pilots contracted to them had been kidnapped in Nyala on Thursday but could not give further details.

"Yesterday there were three Russian helicopter pilots kidnapped by unknown men and the security people are chasing them," Kasha told Reuters from Nyala, the centre of a spate of recent kidnaps for ransom.

Kasha said he believed the kidnappers were the same as those who abducted Russian airmen in Nyala in August.

The pilots were taken from a minibus in the centre of the town on Thursday about two hours before sundown, he said.

Russia directed rare criticism at ally Sudan for being unable to stop the kidnapping of foreigners for money in the war-torn Darfur region.