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Freed aid worker: My mock executions ordeal at hands of Darfur gang
Ed Harris19 Oct 2009
An Irish aid worker held captive for almost four months in Sudan revealed today that her abductors staged mock assassinations by shooting around her.
Sharon Commins, who was flying back to Dublin in an Irish government jet this evening, said she was scared and anxious throughout her 107-day ordeal in the country which has been torn by civil war.
The 32-year-old and her Ugandan colleague Hilda Kawuki - snatched from their compound in Darfur by an armed gang in July - were released yesterday morning.
Ms Commins said both women lived in constant fear of being shot but kept each other strong during their captivity. "You could die in there of sadness, you could just die if you didn't lift your spirits," she said. "It was just incredibly sad every morning. Such a heavy burden to continue.
"We definitely needed each other and we prayed together and tried to keep each other strong."
Ms Commins said the women were petrified the night three armed men burst into their compound, held guns to their heads and ordered them into the back of a van. Up to 18 armed men then held them captive.
"There were mock assassinations on a few occasions so it was extremely scary and we were always anxious and stressed and upset until the minute we got out," said Ms Commins. "We'd be told to kneel and they would shoot around us. The first time that happened we thought we were actually going to be shot and [then] each time we'd think, 'OK, I hope it's a mock', but you do never know."
Ms Commins said they initially did not believe they were being released as they had been given false hope so many times before.
"The moment I knew I was free was when I got into a familiar car and there was no gun and people said 'Welcome home. You girls did well'," she said.
"The road we were on was still dangerous and we were still not out of harm's way until we got to the safe house and then there was a moment of joy. Then we talked to our families."
