Bielel — The funeral on Sunday of an education official and his two sons, all murdered by gunmen in an incident for a mobile phone, was apparently "well-attended by citizens and local political leaders".

Reporting to from the condolence centre, the head of the educational council for Bielel locality, Abdulla Suleiman, confirmed to Radio Dabanga that the director of basic education, Mohammed Ahmed Saleh, was approached by three camel-mounted gunmen at his farm on Saturday.

In what he termed "a horrible incident", the gunmen demanded that Saleh, as well as his two sons; Fakhrel Al Din Mohamed, who was president of the locality's Student Union, and Bahaa Al Din Mohamed, an engineer and President of the local Chamber of Small Industries; hand over their mobile phones and all money in their possession.

When they refused, the gunmen shot them dead.

Suleiman further confirmed that a rescue team consisting of citizens and police managed to pursue and arrest all three alleged perpetrators, who were later transferred from Bielel to Nyala "out of fear of possible confrontations".

Suleiman said the bodies were buried on Sunday "amid a great presence of citizens and political leaders".