Activists and politicians arrested in El-Fasher for alleged collaboration with RSF
June 25, 2024 (EL-FASHER) – Human rights defenders in North Darfur state revealed on Tuesday that the intelligence wing of the Joint Forces of armed movements in Darfur has carried out a widespread arrest campaign in El Fasher, targeting political leaders and civilians suspected of collaborating with the Rapid Support Forces.
In a message to Minni Arko Minnawi, leader of the Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM), human rights lawyer Abdel Aziz Osman Sam reported the arrest of former parliamentarian and human rights activist Siham Hassan Hasballah by SLM intelligence. The SLM is part of the Joint Forces, a coalition of armed movements in Sudan.
Sam detailed Hasballah’s ordeal, stating she was subjected to whipping, verbal abuse, and harassment during an initial nine-day detention. After her release, she was rearrested by the Joint Forces and her current whereabouts are unknown.
Hasballah is a prominent figure in the Liberation and Justice Movement, a signatory to the Doha Peace Agreement under former President Omer al-Bashir’s regime. She served two terms as a parliamentarian.
However, Al-Sadiq Ali Nur, SLM-Minawi spokesman denied the movement’s involvement in the Al-Fashir arrests in a press statement. He clarified that the Joint Forces’ intelligence unit is conducting the arrests based on gathered intelligence.
Nur indicated, “Certain individuals within the city collect, monitor, and transmit coordinates of targets requested by the enemy. These arrests aim to investigate and uncover the truth.” He emphasized that many detainees have been promptly released without experiencing any form of torture or harm.
He confirmed the release of Mohamed Abdel Gadir Jalab, a leader in the SPLM-North faction led by Malik Agar, who had previously announced his arrest by the Joint Forces.
Jalab holds the position of Secretary-General of the Graduate Employment Agency, a governmental body in North Darfur state. He was arrested on June 13 from his home and detained in an unknown location.
A lawyer, preferring anonymity for security reasons, told Sudan Tribune that Jalab was subjected to a humiliating arrest by elements of the Joint Forces’ intelligence, despite being a government employee holding a senior position in North Darfur’s government.
He explained that the reason for Jalab’s arrest was his refusal to hand over a government car to the Joint Forces without following the proper administrative procedures.
The lawyer added, “Jalab followed the legal procedures to hand over the vehicle assigned to him to the office of the Secretary-General of the North Darfur government and refused to give it to the Joint Forces soldiers. Shortly after completing the handover procedures, a large force arrived and took him from his home in a humiliating manner, taking him to an unknown location.”