Sudan Liberation Movement accuses Khartoum government of ‘eliminating Darfur Prisoners of War’

The Sudan Liberation Movement faction led by Minni Arko Minawi (SLM-MM) and the SLM-Transitional Council have accused the government of physically eliminating some of their affiliates, and torturing and amputating parts of others who were captured in fighting in Darfur in May.

The head of the SLM Transitional Council, El Hadi Idris Yahya, explained in an interview with Radio Dabanga broadcast on Monday that 245 members of the two movements were captured. Two of them died in the prison, while some prisoners had legs and hands amputated. He conceded that he was not sure whether the amputations were the result of combat wounds or physical torture.

El Huda prison in Omdurman

Yahya said that 243 prisoners of the two movements were transferred from security cells to El Huda prison in Omdurman where they are held now.

“Some of them have tuberculosis due to the bad detention conditions inside the detention houses where 75 prisoners are held in one cell without clothes or shoes, as well as being subjected to verbal and physical violence”.

He described these practices as brutal and strongly criticised “the government's tendency to try these prisoners, even though they are Prisoners of War, not criminals”.

He appealed to human rights organisations and the international community to intervene urgently and pressure the government to stop these violations and release them immediately.