Security authorities in Sudan’s East Darfur state have reportedly transferred inmates from Al-Jallabi Prison to facilities inside El Daein after a drone strike damaged the prison and allowed several detainees to escape.
The transfer followed an attack on Monday, October 19, that struck the prison’s main entrance and guard positions, causing part of its perimeter wall to collapse, according to local Sudanese media.
Security sources said the damage enabled an unspecified number of prisoners to flee, including individuals facing murder and robbery charges, as well as detainees held over financial disputes.
A military source, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the families of some murder suspects voluntarily returned them to custody after their escape.
The families reportedly feared that the suspects’ release could trigger retaliatory violence involving relatives of murder victims.
Al-Jallabi Prison, located approximately 20 kilometres east of El Daein, serves as East Darfur’s main correctional facility and previously held hundreds of inmates.
Those detained included individuals accused or convicted of criminal offences, alongside others held by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
The drone strike was reportedly carried out by Sudan’s military, although responsibility has not been independently established.
Separate accounts have raised questions about the number of prisoners who escaped.
An official from the RSF-aligned East Darfur administration told Radio Tamazuj that approximately 400 inmates had fled the facility, claiming the strike resulted in the escape of all prisoners.
However, local Sudanese media subsequently reported that authorities had transferred inmates into El Daein, suggesting that at least some detainees remained in custody or had been returned.
The exact number of escapees, the number transferred and their current detention arrangements remain unclear.
The incident occurred amid intensified drone attacks across East Darfur, where repeated bombardments have raised concerns over civilian safety and the security of essential infrastructure.
