Hudo Centre, family concerned about MI detention in South Kordofan

Military Intelligence in South Kordofan have arrested a man suspected of being the brother of a rebel fighter. His whereabouts are unknown, according to a Sudanese human rights observer.

The Human Rights Centre (Hudo), a Sudanese NGO dedicated to the promotion and protection of human rights, said that Ismael Yousif Abusala is a resident of Um Brambeta in the locality Abu Kershola. On October 13, three armed soldiers of the Sudan Armed Forces headed by a Military Intelligence (MI) sergeant arrested Ismail Yousif from his home in Um Brambeta.

Hudo reports that they have taken the 46-year-old driver to a MI office near the main water source, and subsequently to a SAF military garrison in Um Brambeta. The following day Ismail Yousif’s family went to the military garrison to obtain information about him.

“But they were denied the visitation or to meet him, [and the MI] only informed the family that he is under interrogation,” the centre's statement from yesterday read.

Two days after the family returned and spoke to the sergeant who had arrested Ismael Yousif, and he explained that Ismael is accused of being the brother of a rebel fighter of the Sudan People's Liberation Army-North (SPLA-N).

“The sergeant threatened them not to ask about him again or all of them will face the same fate. Immediately after the family went to the police office attempting to file a case but the police officer denied them [to file a case],” according to Hudo.

A State of Emergency is in place in South Kordofan, allowing security authorities to detain civilians at will. El Abbasiya locality, bordering Abu Kershola, witnessed several arrests of civilians by the MI in September.

Both the family as the organisation expressed their concern about the fate of Ismael Yousif. Hudo therefore called upon the Sudanese government to disclose his whereabouts.

Killing of omda

Last week, the watchdog organisation called on the Sudanese government for an investigation into the alleged assassination of a South Kordofan tribal leader. On 4 October, Khamis Badawi Diadan, the Omda of the Lira tribe, reportedly died from a single bullet to the back.