Sudan’s Interior Minister Khalil Basha Sayrin disclosed that security forces apprehended more than 100 individuals linked to three terrorist organizations before the outbreak of the war.
In an interview with “Al Arabiya/Al Hadath,” he stated that terrorists belonging to ISIS, Al-Qaeda, and Hasm joined the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) after escaping from prisons.
He explained that financial incentives were the reason for the terrorists joining the RSF, noting that there were no indications that the detainees were planning terrorist operations inside Sudan.
Weapon Smuggling
He mentioned that their objectives included recruitment, weapon smuggling, and financial transfers. He pointed out that the arrested groups belonged to 12 different countries, most notably Tunisia, Egypt, and Chad.
He clarified that the information Sudan handed over to the United Nations included lists and data of the wanted individuals to track and mitigate their threat.
Former Regime Leaders in Safe Areas
In parallel, he added that former regime leaders were released under previous commitments to remain in safe areas. He revealed that former President Omar al-Bashir and some politicians are in “Military Medical Hospital” in Omdurman, and that 19,790 prisoners were released during this war, including about 3,000 sentenced to death who escaped from prisons.
Sudan has been witnessing a war since April 2023 between forces loyal to army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and the RSF led by his former deputy Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo.
The conflict in Sudan has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths and displaced more than ten million people, according to the United Nations.
Meanwhile, around 26 million people in Sudan are facing high levels of “acute food insecurity,” a situation exacerbated by the devastating war in the country, according to a UN report.
