Detentions continue in Sudan’s White Nile state

Calm has returned to Kosti, White Nile state, following security tensions in the town over the past week. Kosti was attacked by drones on June 6, targeting the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) 18th Division stationed in the area, hours after the departure of SAF Commander-in-Chief Abdelfattah El Burhan from the garrison.

Security forces launched widespread search campaigns in Kosti and the state capital Rabak, 17 km northeast of Kosti, seemingly aimed at pursuing collaborators with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). This included a partial closure of the market in Rabak. Several activists, as well as members of political parties and civil society organisations (CSOs), were detained by security forces.

Radio Dabanga previously reported that Kosti and Rabak have both witnessed intensive search campaigns by security agents in the past few weeks, seemingly looking for specific people in the markets. On Sunday, National Umma Party (NUP) member Mahmoud Zayed was arrested by Military Intelligence in White Nile state.

Imadeldin El Sayar, a member of the Kosti Emergency Room, said that the state government is “now focusing its efforts on anticipating the rainy season, by constructing canals and sewers to drain water”. White Nile state was under flood threat last month following an ‘alarming’ increase in the water level of Lake Victoria, Uganda.