Kampala/Kauda, September 08 (Darfur24)
The Rapid Support Forces (RSF) allegedly arrested a prominent orthopedic surgeon in Al-Daein, East Darfur State, on Sunday, while the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N) are accused of arresting a doctor and a humanitarian worker in Kauda, South Kordofan, according to multiple sources.
Sources told Darfur24 that RSF personnel arrived at the clinic of Dr. Abdullah Adam Yaqoub at Al-Rida Medical Center in Al-Daein and arrested him before taking him to RSF offices in the city. The reasons for his detention remain unclear.
People close to the doctor suggested that his arrest could be linked to his brother, a captain in the RSF who was reportedly part of a force that surrendered to the Sudanese army and recently arrived in Khartoum.
Dr. Abdullah is one of Al-Daein’s prominent orthopedic surgeons and also works at Al-Daein Teaching Hospital. Fellow doctors expressed concern over his detention and called for his release, warning that prolonged detention could affect the provision of medical services in East Darfur.
The arrest comes amid continuing insecurity affecting medical personnel in the region. In March 2025, armed men kidnapped Dr. Yasser Fadlallah, an internal medicine specialist, from his clinic before releasing him after a ransom was reportedly paid.
New Arrests in Kauda
In Kauda, sources told Darfur24 that SPLM-N intelligence officers arrested Dr. Kingas Ntambe Jaro, director of medical supplies in the Nuba Mountains region, and Professor Yusuf Ibrahim, an employee of the Smarten organization, on Saturday and Sunday. Their current whereabouts remain unknown.
Humanitarian sources say about 710 people, including 45 humanitarian workers, have been arrested since fighting began in the Kauda area in March 2026.
Koko Al-Daqir Damjala, head of the Atoro tribe, called for the immediate release of all detainees and urged authorities to disclose their whereabouts and guarantee their safety.
In a statement, Damjala also appealed to the Presidential Council’s initiative mechanism and human rights organizations to intervene, halt what he described as violations and ensure accountability for those responsible.
Kauda has experienced growing tensions since March following disputes over tribal border demarcation, which later developed into confrontations between the SPLM-N and members of the Atoro tribe, whom the movement describes as “rebels.”