The Darfur Victims Advocacy Organization has condemned the General Abdel Fattah al Burhan’s army (SAF) for detaining 40 Sudanese refugees in closed refrigerated trucks.
The group says the civilians were arrested on April 20, 2025, in the Mayo area of Khartoum following the SAF’s entry into the district.
According to testimonies, SAF along with a security cell tied to the Intelligence Agency and the Al-Baraa Brigades, led the raid. The detainees were accused of links to the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) but have not been formally charged or presented before any court.
Relatives of the detainees insist they are civilians with no RSF affiliation and say they were seized under harsh and degrading conditions. One brother of a detainee told the advocacy group that security agents demanded money for their release, describing the arrests as ransom-driven.
The use of refrigerated trucks to transport the detainees has drawn particular outrage, with rights groups warning of severe health risks. Human rights advocates say such treatment violates both Sudanese law and international humanitarian standards protecting displaced persons and refugees.
The Darfur Victims Advocacy Organization is demanding the immediate release of all detainees and an investigation into the army’s actions. They have also called on international organisations to urgently intervene and monitor the situation inside military-controlled zones of Khartoum. Observers warn that as the war deepens, refugee communities risk being scapegoated in the conflict without due process.
There has been no official response from Burhan-controlled officials regarding the arrests or the conditions in which the refugees are held.
The incident underscores growing concerns over the treatment of civilians in Sudan’s war zones, particularly in areas recently reclaimed from the RSF.
