In another alarming development General Burhan’s military intelligence from the 81st brigade apprehended two lawyers on July 9 in West Kordofan State amidst allegations of targeting them for their anti-war stance, lawyers have said.
According to Hatem Gad Al-Rab, a member of the Democratic Alliance of Lawyers in West Kordofan State, armed military personnel in a heavily equipped vehicle conducted the arrest of Abdel Fattah Suleiman Youssef and Abdel Rahim Juma Al-Imam from their offices in the market.
The arrests followed online calls by Burhan trolls on Facebook, accusing the lawyers of sympathizing with the Forces of Freedom and Change, a political party opposed to the ongoing conflict.
Lawyer Jad Al-Rab, who visited the detainees, reported that they were subjected to physical abuse and verbal insults, alleging they were accused of collaborating with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) to provoke instability in An-Nahud.
Despite their detention, the lawyers have not been formally charged.
Expressing concern over the situation Jad Al-Rab urged military authorities to either release the detainees immediately or transfer them to police custody for proper legal proceedings and a fair trial.
Mass arrests in Sudan have increasingly targeted individuals based on political affiliations or ethnic backgrounds, often on suspicion of supporting RSF, which has been in conflict with General Burhan’s SAF since last year.
The joint security forces under command of Burhan in An-Nahud, comprising the army, police, General Intelligence Service, and reserve units, have been criticized for their broad campaigns of arrest, which also encompass activists, civil society members, and supporters of the Forces of Freedom and Change.
Similar actions were taken in June when a popular delegation from the Jabaarah area of Al-Nuhod locality was detained for advocating peace between the army and the RSF.
Among those arrested were religious leaders and civil administrators from the region.
The arrests underscore a tense political climate in West Kordofan, where dissenting voices against the ongoing conflict face increasing suppression by military and security forces.
General Burhan and his SAF have rebuked outright or refused to participate in almost all international peace efforts unless their unrealistic demands are fulfilled.
Last week SAF’s second in command Yasir Atta said that SAF and allies are prepared to fight for another 100 years.
Yatta’s bizarre statement came during UN-sponsored indirect talks in Geneva between al-Burhan’s government and the RSF, aimed at addressing the worsening humanitarian crisis.
Sudanese activists and civil society leaders say Burhan has no interest in a ceasefire or peace unless he is guaranteed to rule the country, they claim this is the only way to make sure he does not face charges for his various alleged atrocities across Sudan.
