Central African Stabs Russian Diplomat in Sudan

A Russian diplomat and his wife were stabbed in the Sudanese capital Tuesday by a man anguished by the death of his brother in violence-plagued Central African Republic, police said.

Khartoum police said the diplomat and his wife were wounded with a knife at the embassy gates, adding that their condition was "stable" without giving their names.

Embassy guards and passers-by managed to detain the suspect, who is from the Central African Republic, the statement said.

"Investigation showed that his brother was killed this morning in Bangui," the Central African capital, the police said in a statement.

Russia's charge d'affaires in Khartoum, Yury Vidakas, confirmed the incident. Asked about the condition of the victims, he told Agence France Presse: "They're OK."

The European Union agreed last week to send up to 600 troops to back just over 3,500 African Union and 1,600 French soldiers already battling to end clashes between Muslim and Christian groups in the CAR.

Khartoum police said the suspect attacked the Russians in the mistaken belief that troops from their country had killed his brother.

"According to police investigation, the suspect came to Sudan for medical reasons and had no reason to carry out this crime except to get revenge for his brother," the statement said.

The Central African Republic shares a border with Sudan's western Darfur region.