Nyala, December 29 (Darfur24)
The native administration of the Borno tribe in South Darfur has reported that Mayor Abbas Mohamed Ali has been detained by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) for more than eight months on allegations of collaborating with and spying for the Sudanese army.
Mahmoud Mohamed, a relative of the mayor, told Darfur24 that RSF forces arrested Abbas from his home in Nyala last April without providing clear reasons. He was initially held at the General Intelligence Service detention center east of the city before being transferred to the Dagris detention center.
According to Mahmoud, some local administrations in South Darfur were reportedly involved in the arrest due to the mayor’s refusal to assist in mobilizing members of his tribe in the Rahad al-Bardi area.
A leader of the Borno tribe’s native administration described the prolonged detention and the restrictions on family visits as “completely unacceptable” and called for the mayor’s immediate release.
The official added that, despite meetings between the tribe’s native administration and local civil authorities, Abbas Mohamed Ali remains in detention. He emphasized that the mayor, who inherited the mayorship of Rahad al-Bardi from his late father, has no ties to the Sudanese army.
The administration urged the RSF to release Mayor Abbas immediately and allow his family to visit him at the Dagris detention center.
Dagris, located 20 kilometers west of Nyala, is one of the largest detention facilities in Darfur, reportedly housing thousands of detainees from multiple Sudanese cities.