Government-allied Darfur faction arrests two journalists in El Fasher
July 7, 2025 (EL FASHER) – An armed group led by a member of Sudan’s Sovereign Council has arrested two journalists in El Fasher, the embattled capital of North Darfur, amid an intensifying crackdown on the press in the city.
Local sources told Sudan Tribune that a military intelligence unit of the Sudan Liberation Movement – Transitional Council (SLM-TC) arrested journalists Mohamed Ahmed Nazar and Nasr Yacoub on Monday afternoon from a market in the Abu Shouk displacement camp.
The SLM-TC, led by Sovereign Council member Salah Rasas, is part of the joint force of armed movements allied with the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF). The two journalists were transferred to one of the joint force’s detention centres, the sources said.
The arrests highlight the severe difficulties facing journalists in El Fasher, where the SAF and its allies have been battling the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) for over a year. Many reporters have fled the city, accusing the joint force and army intelligence of restricting their ability to work freely.
The detention occurred just one day after an SLM-TC officer allegedly opened fire on Yacoub at a Starlink internet centre he operates. The incident reportedly happened after Yacoub refused to shut down the service and surrender the equipment without an official order.
In a statement received by Sudan Tribune, a military spokesperson for the SLM-TC accused Yacoub of assaulting the officer and violating security directives regulating the use of satellite internet.
“The officer fired a bullet for the purpose of intimidation,” the statement read, claiming Yacoub had directed “severe insults” at the officer. The spokesperson announced that legal action would be taken against the journalist.
The movement claimed that strict supervision of internet centres is necessary to prevent what it called “collaborators” from sending coordinates of army and joint force positions to the RSF.
According to the statement, security agencies permit internet centres to operate on a rotational basis for civilian use, such as financial transfers, under close monitoring. The spokesperson added that attacks on security forces suggest the presence of “infiltrated cells” seeking to destabilize the city.
One of the detainees, Mohamed Ahmed Nazar, is the former press director for a previous governor of North Darfur and has been actively reporting on events in El Fasher on his Facebook page.