Sudanese security arrests close aide to Ghazi Salah al-Din

January 16, 2019 (KHARTOUM) – The Sudanese security service arrested on Wednesday a close aide to the head of Reform Now Movement (RNM) Gazhi Salah al-Din, and took him to an unknown location, the group said.

The regime of President Omer al-Bashir has been facing for the first time since one month nationwide protests rejecting his government and demanding him to step down.

The RNM which is one of the national dialogue process forces and was participating in his government decided to withdraw its support to al-Bashir and called him to peacefully transfer power to a collegial body.

In a statement extended to Sudan Tribune on Wednesday, the RNM said Mahmoud al-Jamel has been arrested by the security service while he was heading to a meeting of the National Front for Change (NFC) with the Movement’s leader Ghazi Salah al-Din Attabani.

“They were intercepted by a group that identified itself as belonging to the security and intelligence services before they took him to an unknown destination,”

“Since, we have not been able to contact him or know where he is being held,” added the statement pointing they will resume their search on Thursday.

Al-Jamel is the director of Ghazi’s office and he coordinates all his activities and contacts.

The RNM and the NFC were consulting with the other opposition groups on the way forward after a letter by the Sudan Call leader Sadiq al-Mahadi welcoming their support to the protests.

Sudanese security forces arrested leading members of the opposition groups while others went underground. Al-Mahdi who returned recently to Sudan is among the few opposition figures that are not arrested or harassed by the security authorities.

(ST)