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Sudan war update: Forty-seven detainees released, hundreds remain in custody

(23 November 2023) African Center for Justice and Peace Studies (ACJPS) has received reliable information indicating that 47 detainees held by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) were released while others escaped. The released detainees include 16 females. Some of the victims testified to ACJPS that they had been subjected to torture while in detention as they were beaten with water pipes and sticks, forced to stand under the sun for many hours, verbally abused, threatened to be sexually abused, held in poor detention facilities without ventilation and toilets, denied meals among other forms of torture and ill-treatment.

ACJPS remains concerned for the physical safety and well-being of those who are still in detention, many of whom are being held incommunicado in ungazetted detention centres. In June 2023, ACJPS documented 91 people “missing” since 15 April 2023. On 26 July 2023, ACJPS published additional names of 131 people who went “missing” in the month of May. The lack of access to lawyers and family members to the detainees, together with the well-documented use by the RSF and SAF of torture and other forms of ill-treatment against detainees, particularly whilst held in unknown locations, gives rise to serious concerns for their safety. Incommunicado detention significantly enhances vulnerability to torture and other ill-treatment.

ACJPS reiterates it calls to RSF and SAF to:

  • Guarantee the physical safety of all remaining detainees;
  • Grant the detainees immediate and unequivocal access to their lawyers, family members and medical services, and release them in the absence of valid legal charges consistent with international standards. If such charges exist, the detainees should be brought promptly before an impartial, independent and competent tribunal and guarantee their procedural rights at all times,
  • Cease the arbitrary arrest, incommunicado detention, and enforced disappearance of civilians;
  • Respect the human rights of citizens guaranteed in the 2019 Constitutional Charter and regional and international human rights and humanitarian treaties ratified by Sudan.

We also call upon Sudanese authorities to uphold their international obligations under relevant regional and international treaties which Sudan ratified by immediately carrying out independent, transparent and effective investigations with a view to determining the fate and whereabouts of all missing persons since 15 April 2023. For those who have died, graves must be shown to families/relatives and bodies released for proper burial. Perpetrators must be held to account through fair trials.

Names of detainees who were released/escaped.

From Alryad Neighborhood of Khartoum

  • Mohamed Mohamed Al Habib (m)
  • Tariq Abdul Aziz Hakim (m)
  • Yousef Arif Ahmed (m)

From the Evidence Examination laboratory main building located at Obid Khatim street in Alryad neighborhood, East Khartoum

  • Mahadi Hassan (m)
  • Ahmed Khalid (m)

From the SAF Parachute Unit located in Shambat, Khartoum Bahari (Controlled and occupied by RSF)

  • Mujahedeen AL Sadiq (m)
  • Siddiq Abrahim (m)
  • Muzamil Abdul Rahman Bab Allah (m)
  • Kareem Alnoor (m)
  • Sport Yard located in Khartoum (which has been in under the control of RSF since 20219 to date)
  • Rajab Ahmed Mohamed Mergani

From a building in Aletihad, Central Khartoum

  • Ali Hatim (m)

 From house arrest

 Saida Al-Amin Bandar (f). She was arrested by RSF soldiers who raided and occupied her home in Alamarat neighborhood, Khartoum. Ms. Al-amin managed to escape from her home when the soldiers had briefly moved out. She was unharmed.

  • On 25 July 2023, 15 girls who were subjected to house arrest by RSF in Aldrushab of Khartoum Bahari were released.

 From Almuzn Hotel in Elfashir, North Darfur

Sometime in October 2023, a one Mr. Ahmed (not real name) a “Tuktuk” driver (a tricycle used for public transport) was released from Almuzn hotel located West of Elfashir in North Darfur State where he had been detained by RSF. The hotel is located near the “Money Stock” building which is currently used by RSF as detention center since it took control of the eastern part of the town. Mr. Ahmed was released together with 19 other detainees when their health conditions deteriorated due to lack of medical attention. After his release, Mr. Ahmed was quickly rushed to hospital and he is slowly recovering. He informed ACJPS that RSF uses the hotel as detention center and that he was detained in one room together with 65 other detainees. They were provided with two meals a day and that they had to ease themselves in buckets inside the room. He also said that three detainees died as result of torture.

Testimonies of Sudanese human rights defenders from Elfashir indicated that citizens are mainly arrested by RSF for two reasons. Firstly, on suspicion that they are affiliated to SAF or are ex-soldiers and secondly, those fleeing from West and South Darfur to safer areas in Central and Eastern Sudan through Elfashir.

Despite the release, hundreds have remained in the custody of the warring parties. In this release, ACJPS has documented 74 detainees who have been missing since June and July 2023.

 Names of people who have been missing since June 2023

  1. Abdul Gadir Abdul Kareem Abdul Gadir (m), from East Nile neighborhood, Khartoum Bahari. He went missing on 7 June 2023.
  2. Adam Abdallah Yousef (m) from Wad Nubawi of Omdurman. Has been missing since 11 June 2023.
  3. Ahmed Mohamed Idris Siddiq (m) from Al-jreef neighborhood, Khartoum. He went missing on 22 June 2023.
  4. Ahmed Siddiq Ahmed Mohamad Omer (m) from Alkalakla neighborhood in South Khartoum. Has been missing since 13 June 2023.
  5. Ahmef Adam Ahmef Hamza (m) from Khartoum. Has been missing since 2 June 2023.
  6. Ahmef Nasur Eldien Abu Algasim (m) from Khartoum Bahari. He went missing on 28 June 2023.
  7. Al Bashir Mohamed Khalid (m) from Khartoum. Went missing on 6 June 2023.
  8. Alhaj Hassan Abu Shiba (m) from Alkhinat neighborhood in Khartoum. He went missing on 24 June 2023.
  9. Alkhair Ibrahim Fadul (m) from Omdurman. He went missing on 25 June 2023.
  10. Baha Eldien Ibrahim Habib Allah (m)
  11. Faras Suleiman Abdul Gadir (m) from Alryad neighborhood in Khartoum. He went missing on 7 June 2023.
  12. Hassan Sharaf Hassan (m) from Abu Adam neighborhood in Khartoum. He went missing on 27 June 2023.
  13. Hussein Hassan Hussein (m) from Omdurman. He went missing on 13 June 2023.
  14. Ibtesam Mamoun (f) from Omdurman. He went missing on 18 June 2023.
  15. Ismail Al mufti (m) from Alamarate neighborhood of Khartoum. He went missing since 3 June 2023.
  16. Jafar Adam Mohamed (m) from 60 street of Alryad neighborhood in Khartoum. Has been missing since 28 June 2023.
  17. Mayson Mahjoob (m) from Omdurman. He went missing on 3 June 2023.
  18. Mazin Yogoup Abdallah (m) from Khartoum. Has been missing since 21 June 2023.
  19. Mohamed Alfatih Mohamed Hameed (m) from Al-haj Yousef neighborhood in Khartoum Bahari. Has been missing since 16 July 2023.
  20. Mohamed Elshareef Mohamed Alhassan (m) from Abu Adam neighborhood in Khartoum. Has been missing since 22 June 2023.
  21. Mohamed Sharaf Hassan (m), from Abu-Adam neighborhood in Khartoum. He went missing on 27 June 2023.
  22. Mohammed Ahmed Mohamed Awad from Omdurman, he is missing since June 27th.
  23. Nasur Eldien Idris Abdul Motalab (m), from Alhlfaia neighborhood in Khartoum Bahari. Has been missing since 15 June 2023.
  24. Omer Ageel Omer Mohamed Osman (m) from Alkalakla South in Khartoum. Has been missing since 27 June 2023.
  25. Omer Humidah Omer (m) from Omdurman. Has been missing since 13 June 2023.
  26. Sahad Abdul Hameed (f) from Omdurman. Has been missing since 14 June 2023.
  27. Samir Nasir AL Sadiq (m) from Butri neighborhood in Khartoum. He went missing on 16 June 2023.
  1. Sharaf Amir Aljak (m) from Almanshia neighborhood in Khartoum. He went missing on 8 June 2023.
  2. Sir Alkhatim Ahmed Salih Fadlaalh (m) from Jabra neighborhood in Khartoum. He went missing on 2 June 2023.
  3. Suliman Mohamed Alhass (m) from Alkalakala neighborhood in Khartoum. He went missing on 26 June 2023.
  4. Tamir Mohamed Mustafa (m) from Alhaj Yousef neighborhood in Khartoum Bahari. He went missing on 15 June 2023.
  5. Yasir Ali Ismail (m) from Omdurman. Has been missing since 25 June 2023.
  1. Yousef Mohamed Adam (m) from Khartoum. Has been missing since June 2023.
  2. Khalid Emam Fadul Alwad (m) from Buri neighborhood in Khartoum. Has been missing since 12 June 2023.

 Sometime in July 2023, RSF published videos on social media showing detainees in very poor health conditions. They claimed that the men had been detained by SAF at one of their bases in Khartoum. RSF had raided the base and claimed that they had released the detainees.  However, on 14 October 2023, three of the detainees who appeared in the videos were killed as result of air bombardment during an exchange between SAF and RSF in Khartoum 2 neighborhood. The deceased were killed in an RSF store. This further confirms the allegations that RSF uses detainees to provide labor for different activities.

 Mr. Abdallah Ding from Al-lamab of Khartoum State who had been missing since 5 July 2023 was killed during an air bombardment by SAF while he was in an RSF detention centre.

 Names of people who went missing since July 2023

  1. Abashir Salih Omer (m) from Khartoum. He went missing on 21 July 2023.
  2. Abdallah Yousef (m) from Alamgir locality known as Umbadah in Omdurman. He was last seen on 6 July 2023.
  3. Abdul Azeem khidir Mohamed Abdul Hameed (m) from Alazhari neighborhood in Khartoum. He was last seen on 4 July 2023.
  4. Abdul Rahman Suliman Khamis (m) from Khartoum Bahari. he was last seen on 1 July
  5. Abdul Wahid Ibrahim Abdul Wahid (m) from Khartoum. He has been missing since 18 July
  6. Ahmed Ali Mansoor Alsermidi (m) from Shambat in Khartoum Bahari. He has been missing since 13 July 2023.
  7. Ahmed Emad (m) from Khartoum. He has been missing since 3 July 2023.
  8. Ahmed Kamal Eldien Hussein (m) from Aamgir locality also known as Umbadah in Omdurman. He went missing on 24 July 2023.
  9. Ahmed Saad Mahjoob (m) from Khartoum. He has been missing since 30 July 2023.
  10. Alhadi Mahmoud Khamis (m) from Khartoum Bahari. he went missing on 15 July 2023.
  11. Alnoor Ibrahim Aldukhri (m) from Omdurman. He went missing on 6 July 2023.
  12. Alsayed Sir Alkhatim Mustafa (m) from Khartoum. He was last seen on 15 July 2023.
  13. Amjad Shams Eldien (m) from Khartoum. He was last seen on 30 July 2023.
  14. Ashraf Abbas Alhadi (m) from Shambat in Khartoum Bahari. He was last seen on 7 July 2023.
  15. Ashraf Bashir Haroun (m) from Khartoum. He went missing on 18 since July 2023.
  16. Ashraf Salih Omer (m) from Omdurman. Has been missing since 21 July 2023.
  17. Azmi Osman Tawfiq (m) from Khartoum. Has been missing since 28 July 2023.
  18. Budoor Abdul Jalil Mohamed (f) from Alslama neighborhood in Khartoum. He went missing on 1 July 2023.
  19. Hind Adil Adam Ali (f) from Elfashir town in North Darfur. He went missing on 6 July 2023.
  20. Hussien Abdul Hafiz Ali (m) from Khartoum. He was last seen on 2 July 2023.
  21. Ibrahim Ahmed Ibrahim (m) from Khartoum. He was last seen on 2 July 2023.
  22. Jad Allah Alamin Abdallah (m) from Omdurman. He has been missing since 22 July 2023.
  23. Kamil Mahmoud Gabani(m) from Khartoum Bahari. He went missing on 7 July 2023.
  24. Kamil Mahmoud Kamil (m) from Shambat in Khartoum Bahari. Has been missing since 7 July 2023.
  25. Mahmoud Lubab Ibrahim (m) from Helat Kuku neighborhood in Khartoum Bahari. He was last seen on 14 July 2023.
  26. Mansour Isa Mohamed (m) from Khartoum. He has been missing since 1 July
  27. Mergani Abdul Farasr Khalfalash (m) from Khartoum. He has been missing since 8 July 2023.
  28. Mohamad Suliman (m) from Omdurman. He went missing on 18 July 2023.
  29. Mohamed Alsayed (m) from Khartoum. He went missing on 15 July 2023.
  30. Mohamed Ismail (m) from Zalingi in Central Darfur State. He was last seen on 5 July 2023.
  31. Mudathier Elsidiw Khalid (m) from Omdurman. He has been missing since 14 July 2023.
  32. Mujaheed Hussein Mohamed Salih (m) from Alsahafa neighborhood in Khartoum. He went missing on 6 July
  33. Musab Ali Mustafa (m) from Khartoum. He went missing on 15 July 2023.
  34. Mustafa Abbas Alhadi (m) from Shambat in Khartoum Bahari. He was last seen on 7 July 2023.
  35. Nadir Abu Algasim Hussien (m) from Khartoum. He went missing on 25 July 2023.
  36. Nizar Hajo Mohamed Ahmed (m) from Omdurman. Has been missing since 28 July 2
  37. Omer Mohamed Al-Haj Ali (m) from Khartoum Bahari. He went missing on 26 July 2023.
  38. Omer Sidiq Abdul Hameed (m) from Aljereef neighborhood in Khartoum. He went missing on 26 July 2023.
  39. Osman Ahmed Elteyeb (m) from Alhaj Yousef neighborhood in Khartoum Bahari. He was last seen on 1 July 2023.
  40. Osman Hassan Al-Haj (m) from Khartoum Bahari. He went missing on 27 July 2023.

 Background

The war between RSF and RSF has been characterized by several human rights violations including arbitrary arrest, incommunicado detention and enforced disappearance often perpetuated by both the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The number of “missing” people have been increasing since the war erupted in April 2023. The Missing Initiative, a local online initiative dedicated to helping find people who are unaccounted documented over 229 cases of missing persons, 15 of which were women and girls by16 June 2023.  On 12 September 2023, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights  corroborated this distressing trend, revealing that at least 500 people have been reported as disappeared since the start of the war. By October 2023, ACJPS had registered at least 700 cases of enforced disappearance in its newly established enforced disappearance database.

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