Civilians arrested in connection with SRF attacks
May 27, 2013 (KHARTOUM) – Three civilians have reportedly been arrested in connection with the 27 April attack on South Kordofan’s Abu Karshola town by rebels from the Sudanese Revolutionary Front (SRF).
According to a statement from the UK-based Sudan Social Development Organisation (SUDO UK), the men were arrested by National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS) members in plain clothes from a mosque in Marzoug, Omdurman at about 8pm on 24 May.
SUDO UK said they are being held without charge and have been denied access to lawyers.
Their whereabouts remain unknown and their families have yet to receive any information about their wellbeing.
SUDO UK says it fears the men may be at risk of being tortured or otherwise mistreated.
It named the men as Daffa’alla Abdelrahim Rushash (60), Hashim Abdelrahim Rushash (55) and Abdalla Algedail (35). All three are Nuba and belong to the Tagali ethnic group in South Kordofan.
SUDO UK has urged authorities to immediately release all political detainees unless they are charged with recognisable criminal offences.
It has also called for the three men to be allowed access to their families and lawyers, and to ensure that the detainees are not subject to torture or other ill treatment.
Rebel fighters descended on Abu Karshola in the north-east of South Kordofan several weeks ago after staging a surprise attack on Um Rawaba in North Kordofan a day after talks between the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North Sudan and the Sudanese government collapsed.
Abu Karshola has been the scene of intense fighting between rebels and government forces, with conflicting reports emerging over whether the SRF withdrew voluntarily or were repulsed by forces from the Sudanese army (SAF) after they regained control of the town.
(ST)