229 Sudanese missing after start of hostilities in Khartoum

May 22, 2023 (KHARTOUM) – The Missing Initiative, a civil society group, has reported a total of 229 missing persons, including foreigners, since the outbreak of clashes between the army and the Rapid Support Forces.

Numerous families have appealed for assistance as they search for their missing loved ones, who disappeared after leaving their homes to buy essential supplies.

Meanwhile, police operations have come to a complete halt since the eruption in Sudan on April 15.

Sarah Hamdan, a volunteer with the Coordinating Committee for the Missing Initiative, told Sudan Tribune, “The committee has documented 229 missing individuals, comprising civilians, military personnel, and foreigners.”

Hamdan noted that this number could fluctuate due to limited information, poor voice communication, inadequate internet services, difficulties in reporting and searching for missing persons, and the expansion of the clashes.

She further stated that the Initiative’s report emphasized the violations committed by the Rapid Support Forces, including the arbitrary arrest and enforced disappearance of civilians, which places them at significant risk.

The volunteer called for facilitating access to locations where bodies are found in the streets and providing safe routes for stranded individuals to reunite with their families. Additionally, she urged the documentation of burial sites for unidentified individuals and the provision of security for hospitals and morgues to aid in identifying the missing.

On Monday evening, a seven-day ceasefire agreement came into effect, encompassing the withdrawal of forces from hospitals and public facilities and the safe passage of civilians, goods, and humanitarian aid.

According to the Medical Steering Committee of the Medical Syndicate, the ongoing conflict between the army and the Rapid Support Forces has resulted in the loss of 863 civilian lives. Additionally, the United Nations estimates that around 1.1 million people have been displaced from their homes.

(ST)