Spokesman: Top officials Sudan involved in sending IS-fighters

Top officials within the Sudanese government are involved in recruiting young fighters for the Islamic State, says the spokesman for the Sudanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ali El Sadig. His daughter is among at least 18 students who left Sudan for Syria last week. Five of them are carrying a British passport, two are Canadians, and others hold the American nationality.

El Sadig was accused of supporting recruitment for the Islamic State (IS), called 'El Daesh' in Arabic, but he fiercely denies any involvement. El Jareeda newspaper quoting the spokesman was prevented from distribution after security officers confiscated its print-run this (Monday) morning.

Radio Dabanga reported that most of the 18 students travelling to Syria through Turkey are coming from the University of Medical Sciences and Technology in Khartoum's El Riyad district.

According to El Sadig the travel was an organised event with high officials involved, otherwise it would have been impossible for them to travel without being caught.

Speaking to reporters at Khartoum Airport, the government official could not believe his daughter was among the IS-recruits. He went to the airport to see the exit documents and registration, but he could not find a single trace of his daughter on any registration paper. He explained that his daughter had no exit stamp as is needed for Sudanese to leave the country. She neither had a visa for Turkey or any other country. She had not been checked by the customs and immigration officers prior to boarding the aircraft.

When he had asked for evidence he was allowed to see the camera-recordings. He indeed saw his offspring entering the aircraft without anyone checking her. Ambassador Ali El Sadig expressed his anger saying he was sure that some high ranked people were involved, having paid bribes. He travelled on Sunday to Turkey to trace his daughter and to convince her to return to Sudan.

The names of students carrying the British passport are Amir Mahmoun, Mohamed El Hassan El Awad, Eman, El Sadig Abdelaziz, Zubeida Emadeldin El Haj, Mohamed Salim Mohamed Ahmed, and brothers Ibrahim and Mohamed Adel Bashir Akit. Mohamed Adel Bashir, Saja Mohamed Osman, and brothers Hamza and Mohamed Serar Hamza El Hassan hold American passports 

It is the second time this year that a group of students were recruited from Sudan. In March, and reportedly also in 2014 students travelled to most probably Syria to join the IS fighters. Last Wednesday the authorities released a prominent businessman and leading imam who is openly supporting IS.