On Monday, 23 June 2026, three members of Al-Wehda Emergency Room in El Obeid, North Kordofan, Sudan, were arrested by a force affiliated with the General Intelligence Service. The three members, including a female volunteer, were detained for approximately two days before being released. During the detention period, the detainees reported being subjected to physical assault and ill-treatment. According to the survivors’ testimonies, while one female volunteer was taken separately for interrogation and questioning by members of the security apparatus, another female volunteer who remained in detention was allegedly subjected to rape by two individuals affiliated with the General Intelligence Service. It is believed that the sexual violence may have been linked to her ethnic background, particularly in the context of recent accusations and labeling of certain ethnic groups as “social bases/supporters of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).” This allegation requires further investigation and verification to establish the motive behind the attack.
The security forces also reportedly searched the detainees’ personal phones and accessed their private information. The detainees stated that their arrest was based on accusations of cooperation with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and communication with civil and political actors. Following their release, they were reportedly forced to sign undertakings requiring them to report weekly to the offices of the General Intelligence Service and were informed that they would remain under continuous security surveillance. The reported violations include arbitrary detention, physical abuse and ill-treatment during detention, alleged conflict-related sexual violence, violation of privacy, coercion, restrictions on civic activities, and intimidation of humanitarian and civil society actor