Sudanese lawyers, police offer conflicting reports on missing children

September 28, 2025 (PORT SUDAN) – A Sudanese rights group on Sunday called for an investigation into the disappearances of dozens of children, drawing a swift denial from police in one of the affected states who labelled the reports as destabilizing rumours.

The Emergency Lawyers group said 40 police reports were filed in September for missing children under the age of 18 in the Red Sea, Gedaref, and River Nile states.

“The group has recorded 40 cases of disappearance, including 18 girls and 22 boys aged between three and 16,” Musab Sabahi, a member of the group’s executive office, told Sudan Tribune. He said 20 of the cases were in Port Sudan, Red Sea state.

However, the Red Sea State Police Command issued a press release directly contradicting the claims.

“We urge the esteemed citizen not to pay attention to what is being circulated of rumors… intended to destabilize security,” the police statement said, dismissing talk of child kidnappings and organ trafficking.

“We affirm that our records have not logged any reports of this kind,” it continued. “There were only two cases of loss, and the last missing person, student Hiba Muhammad Musa Baglad, was found and is now with her family in good health and was not subjected to any assault.”

The police statement described the state as “safe” and urged citizens to get their information from official sources.

Despite the denial, the Emergency Lawyers group expressed grave concern, warning of possible involvement by criminal networks, human traffickers, or groups seeking to spread social terror amid a lack of adequate security.

“Any inaction or concealment in the face of these crimes opens the door to grave violations, including human trafficking, recruitment, and exploitation,” the group stressed.

Thousands of children have been subjected to numerous violations during Sudan’s ongoing conflict, including killing, rape, forced recruitment, and displacement.