Sudan surgeon abducted by armed group in Khartoum

Dr Alaaeldin Nugud, the secretary general of the Sudanese Association of Surgeons, member of the Forces of Freedom and Change-Central Council (FFC-CC), and spokesperson for the Sudanese Association of Professionals, was abducted by a group of armed men in Khartoum yesterday.

The FFC-CC reported in a statement on Saturday, that Nugud was taken from his home by “an armed force consisting of ten people”.

The alliance of political parties strongly condemned the kidnapping of its member and stated that it is “part of the systematic targeting of the FFC-CC, led by members of the former regime”.

Sudanese journalist Dalia Eltahir tweeted that Nugud was taken to an unknown destination by a group of men wearing uniforms of the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF).

The Sudanese American Physicians Association (SAPA) also denounced the action in a statement yesterday.

“We strongly condemn the arrest of our colleague, and we call for his immediate release. We urge the international community to take strong action now to protect medical professionals on the ground, SAPA tweeted in a statement yesterday.

“Nugud is a pro-democracy activist and an outspoken critic of the militants, he was arrested yesterday ‘reportedly by militants’ from his home in Khartoum,” the statement reads.

The abduction of the surgeon is a clear “breach of the ceasefire signed in Jeddah on May 20,” the SAPA said. It holds “the armed forces and the intelligence responsible for his safety” and called for the “immediate release of Nugud without any restrictions or conditions”.

The statement added that “17 medical professionals have been killed since the start of the conflict”.

Radio Dabanga reported last week that both the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have detained hundreds of activists and volunteers in the country’s capital since the start of the war on April 15.