Seven suspects accused of murder and armed robbery have escaped from a prison in Zalingei, Central Darfur, in the third major security breach at the facility in six months, according to local sources.
Three sources cited by Darfur24 said the detainees fled on Friday evening and remain at large. A community leader alleged that members of the security detail guarding the prison helped facilitate the escape.
Among those who escaped was a man accused of killing three people north of Zalingei, according to the report. The group also included suspects facing armed robbery charges and others described as repeat offenders.
A police source acknowledged security failures at the prison, which holds dozens of detainees facing criminal and civil charges as well as people accused of spying or collaborating with the Sudanese Armed Forces.
Several members of the security forces, including the commander responsible for guarding the prison, have since been detained and referred for investigation.
Authorities have also deployed military police, federal police and civilian protection forces to search for the fugitives.
Central Darfur Rapid Support Forces commander Maj. Gen. Abdelrahman Juma said disciplinary measures had been taken against personnel accused of negligence, adding that those responsible had been stripped of their duties and placed under investigation.
“Serving the state is a responsibility and there is no room for negligence,” Juma said, according to Darfur24.
The latest escape follows repeated breaches at Zalingei prison this year. In May, an armed group stormed the facility after clashing with guards and RSF forces, freeing a detainee and allowing dozens of other prisoners to escape during the chaos.
The prison was also struck in February by a drone believed to have been operated by the Sudanese army, injuring more than 10 people, including civilians visiting detainees, according to medical and eyewitness accounts cited by Darfur24.
The latest incident is likely to raise fresh questions over security and detention management in Zalingei, which is under RSF control amid Sudan’s continuing war.
