Sudan release Communist leaders after brief detention

May 20, 2022 (KHARTOUM) – The Sudanese Communist leaders have been on Friday after their return from Juba on Thursday, said the left party.

Central Committee member Salih Mahmoud was immediately arrested at Khartoum airport while Political Secretary Mohamed Mokhtar al-Khatib was arrested from his home.

“In the early hours of Friday, May 20, 2022, the security authorities released our two colleagues, the Party’s political secretary, Mohamed Mokhtar al-Khatib, and Salih Mahmoud, a member of the Central Committee and the Political Bureau of the party”

For its part, The Darfur Bar Association issued a statement about the release of its chairman Mahmoud, saying they would discuss with him his arrest at Khartoum airport and conditions of detention.

A three-member delegation including the Party’s Spokeswoman Amal al-Zain travelled last week to Juba where they met with the SLM leader Abdel Wahid al-Nur before travelling to South Kordofan state for talks with SPLM-N leader Abdel Aziz al-Hilu.

Al-Zain was not arrested by the security forces.

Sudan’s embassy in Juba had already protested the visit and their illegal entry into the rebel-held Kauda of South Kordofan, not far from the border through South Sudan.

The South Sudanese security confined the three communist leaders in their hotel and interrogated them about the purpose of the visit.

The Sudanese Communist Party rejects any dialogue with the military leaders and proposes the formation of a political alliance against the coup leaders.

(ST)