Militia Abducts Journalist in Khartoum

The Sudanese Journalists Syndicate reported that members of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) militia abducted journalist Alaaldin Abu Harba in the East Nile area of the capital, Khartoum, and demanded a ransom for his release.

In a statement on Sunday, the Sudanese Journalists Syndicate described the abduction of journalist Alaaldin Abu Harba by the RSF as a dangerous escalation. The statement added that a heavily armed military force took Abu Harba from his home in the East Nile area.

The statement noted that RSF elements threatened physical harm if the ransom was not paid. They initially received about one million Sudanese pounds but then demanded double the amount, placing Abu Harba’s life in great danger.

The Sudanese Journalists Syndicate strongly condemned the incident, described the RSF’s actions as criminal, and held them fully responsible for his safety. The statement highlighted that threatening Abu Harba’s life or using it as a bargaining tool constitutes a blatant violation of all laws and international norms.

The statement also mentioned another incident where five masked, armed individuals broke into the home of journalist Abdulrahman Hanin in East Nile in the early hours of Friday, August 16. The assailants terrified his wife and children, stealing four laptops, mobile phones, 750,000 pounds, and gold jewelry belonging to his wife under the threat of firearms.

The Sudanese Journalists Syndicate warned of the complete security collapse and widespread chaos in the country, particularly in areas under RSF control, where serious human rights violations are occurring. The syndicate’s monitoring units documented 438 violations against journalists since the outbreak of the war in Sudan.