Children of Sudan … When Innocence is Violated Cold-Bloodedly

(M A) never imagined that one day she would suffer the pain of losing one of her beloved children.

(M A) lived with her family in the Tuti Island area in the heart of Khartoum, which became one of the most famous areas to be surrounded by war for almost a year by the Rapid Support Forces militia.

The Story of Escape: (M) shared her tragic story with Sudanese Echoes and said that she and her husband were forced by the circumstances and the developments on the ground to stay in their home for an entire year amidst harsh conditions, where they experienced food shortages, lack of drinking water, and power cuts.

Regarding their escape from Tuti, (M) explained that they had to leave after the situation on the island worsened, traveling by boat in July, along with a large group of families, with their destination being Omdurman city.

She continued, saying: “When we decided to leave, I had two children (twins), a boy and a girl. The twins brought joy into our hearts with their birth, but they are also the ones who brought sorrow to my heart.”

They Took My Son: She explained that as they were leaving Tuti, they passed one of the Rapid Support Forces’ checkpoints at the Tuti Island ferry station, where they were stopped by the militia forces under the pretext of a search and the payment of a “toll.” She continued: “At the checkpoint, one of the militia soldiers stood next to me holding a weapon, surrounded by a group of women. He asked me, ‘Where are you going? And are these your children?’ I answered yes. He asked again, ‘Do you have anything for us?’ I said I have nothing. He quickly responded, ‘Then bring one of your children here.’ I froze and didn’t understand what he was saying, as he started pulling my child from my arms, saying, ‘Enough of this one,’ referring to the other twin. At that moment, I screamed at the top of my lungs, ‘I won’t give you my child!’ He then told me, ‘Go, woman.’ Suddenly, my child was ripped from my chest, and the man disappeared without any warning. I collapsed to the ground, and these men began to beat us as we tried to leave the area. Eventually, we used the boat to cross to the other side. Up until that moment, I hadn’t processed what was happening, and my tears have not dried until now.”

She concluded her story by saying, “I am currently in Omdurman, hoping that God will have mercy on my son, who was forcibly kidnapped from me without my being able to protect him.”

Rapid Support Forces’ Child Abductions: Meanwhile, the Secretary-General of the National Council for Child Care, Abdelkader Idris, revealed a significant increase in reports of child abuse and violations recently. He confirmed that millions of children are out of school due to the war. Additionally, more than 2,500 children have been kidnapped, and there are 2,500 missing children. The Rapid Support Forces militia has recruited more than 8,000 children to fight in their ranks.

Abdelkader, in his speech to Sudanese Echoes, called on the international community to conduct investigations into the daily violations children face at the hands of the Rapid Support Forces. He also announced that the council is in consultations to review the Child Protection Law and add some amendments and legal provisions to strengthen the protection of children.