Workers For Boone-Based Charity Kidnapped In Africa

Samaritan's Purse, based in Boone, said three of its workers were kidnapped at gunpoint Tuesday in the Darfur region of Sudan.

Evangelist Franklin Graham, CEO of Samaritan's Purse, said he's in contact with the U.S. and Sudanese governments and is seeking their help in securing the safe return of the workers -- a woman from California and two Sudanese men.

The three were in a two-vehicle convoy and were confronted by a group of armed men, according to a statement from the charity.

Channel 9 spoke with a senior policy analyst for the Save Darfur Coalition Tuesday, who said kidnappings have become more common in the region.

"The last two years have been the most dangerous for aid workers in Darfur than at any time since the genocide in Darfur began in 2003," Sean Brooks said.

Samaritan's Purse says it has provided $83.7 million in assistance to Sudan over the past decade.