Sudanese Families Pursue the Fate of Their Loved Ones in Militia Prisons
Sudan Events – Agencies
Sudanese detainees, both civilians and military personnel, are enduring tragic conditions in detention centers run by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), amid reports of enforced disappearances and deaths caused by inhumane conditions.
Severe Psychological Distress
This suffering comes in the wake of recent military developments, as the Sudanese army managed to regain control over large parts of the capital, Khartoum, including the Jabal Awliya area in the city’s south.
Activists and Sudanese army soldiers circulated videos showing freed detainees in extremely poor physical and psychological condition, indicating the harsh treatment they endured during captivity.
Local sources have reported finding bodies inside some detention centers—scenes that reflect the scale of violations committed.
Deaths Among Detainees
According to local media reports, the RSF detained hundreds of individuals under deplorable conditions in areas such as Riyadh and Soba in Khartoum since the outbreak of the war on April 15, 2023.
The list of detainees included retired soldiers, teachers, doctors, and mosque imams, many of whom were subjected to torture, deprivation of food, and denial of medical care—resulting in the deaths of many.
Reports indicate that the RSF transferred prisoners from Soba prison and other detention centers to the Jabal Awliya area, as part of a plan to relocate them to Omdurman and then to the Darfur region in western Sudan. However, this plan was not carried out due to the rapid military advances made by the Sudanese army on the ground.
Families Still Searching
Meanwhile, the suffering of families of the forcibly disappeared continues. Sudanese families persist in their search for loved ones who have not yet been found. Many have created pages on social media to post photos and names of the missing, in hopes of receiving any information about their fate—whether they are alive or deceased.
Arbitrary Detention
A report by the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights has accused the RSF of carrying out arbitrary detentions and mistreatment of prisoners in Khartoum between April 2023 and June 2024.
The report indicated that tens of thousands of people, including women and children, were detained without charges and denied any contact with their families.
According to testimonies from former detainees, they were subjected to frequent and brutal beatings in harsh conditions that lacked ventilation and sanitation, amid severe shortages of food and water. Many confirmed that large numbers of detainees died due to the absence of medical care in these detention centers.
