Five prominent members of the Asanqur tribe have been abducted by armed men in Nyala, South Darfur, after participating in a protest demanding information about a missing businessman and his wife, a tribal leader said on Monday.
The abductions followed a demonstration outside the city’s judicial headquarters on Thursday, where dozens of Asanqur community members gathered to demand answers about the disappearance of businessman Mohammed Abdullah Mahmoud Abu Qarjah and his wife.
The couple were reportedly taken from their home in Nyala about a week earlier, and their whereabouts remain unknown.
In a statement reported by Darfur24, Ibrahim Adam Tabak, the paramount chief of the Asanqur tribe, identified the five abducted men as Mahmoud Abdullah Mahmoud, director of Al-Miraj Private Schools; Ibrahim Mohammed Yaqoub; Younis Adam Malik; tribal leader Ibrahim Siddiq; and tribal leader Yahya.
Tabak said armed men seized the five and transported them to an undisclosed location.
The tribal leader accused individuals associated with another community of directing the abductions, raising concerns about escalating tensions between local groups.
The Asanqur leadership called on the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which controls Nyala, to investigate the incident, establish the whereabouts of the missing men and secure their immediate release.
The tribe also urged the RSF to strengthen civilian protection and ensure accountability for those responsible.
Babiker Siddiq, a member of the Asanqur community in Nyala, said the armed group had targeted members of a committee established to investigate the disappearance of Abu Qarjah and his wife, along with representatives involved in mediation efforts.
Siddiq alleged that influential figures within the RSF were involved in the incident and accused them of attempting to provoke tensions between the Asanqur and Arnaqa communities.
The allegations could not be independently verified.
He said community members had planned another demonstration for Monday near the entrance to Mecca Bridge, which connects northern and southern Nyala, to demand the release of everyone abducted.
The latest disappearances have intensified concerns among Asanqur community leaders, who are pressing the RSF to intervene and prevent further incidents.
Meanwhile, the fate of Abu Qarjah and his wife remains unknown, with tribal representatives continuing to demand their release and information about where they are being held.
