Sudanese journalist accuses army of torturing brother to death

KHARTOUM, NOV. 8, 2023 (SUDANS POST) – Sudanese journalist Majid Al-Qouni, editor-in-chief of the “Al-Jarida” newspaper, has accused the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) of torturing his brother to death in Omdurman and refusing to hand over his body to the family.

Al-Qouni stated on Monday, “Ali Al-Qouni, my younger brother, died under torture in a [Sudanese] army camp. They refused to hand over the body to us.”

Al-Qouni’s brother was arrested in Omdurman by special forces after being falsely accused of breaking into houses.

This incident comes after a statement from the Omdurman Resistance Committees accusing the army of raiding homes, looting properties, and expelling residents.

According to the statement, several Omdurman residents were arrested and beaten by military intelligence operatives when they demanded that the stationed force allow them to enter the neighborhood to retrieve their belongings.

The committees also indicated that not all houses in the neighborhood were spared from theft and that some were completely ransacked. They urged the leadership of the Kereri locality military region to intervene urgently, noting a heightened state of tension among citizens due to the ill-treatment.

In a separate development, a local emergency room in Jabal Awlia reported that the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) continued their abuses against civilians in the Wadbulul area. The team stated that RSF elements killed at least four civilians on Saturday.

Meanwhile, well-informed sources told Sudans Post that RSF started fire at the El-Jeili refinery in Khartoum, resulting in “unimaginable damage” and forced staff to abandon the facility.

According to a source, “The reason for the fire is that the RSF brought eight (8) tankers yesterday, Monday, to fill them with fuel. The tankers remained at the site until this morning.”

The source added, “Known safety measures were not taken by the Rapid Support [Forces] personnel. So, a number of individuals, without previous experience, attempted to load the tankers, causing a fire in the tankers, which then spread to the warehouse.”

Al-Jeili Refinery Director Munira Mahmoud stated that the “fire that broke out at the Nile Petroleum Company inside the Al-Jeili Refinery has been brought under control.”