Sudanese news agency obtains testimonies from victims of human trafficking

The Sudan News Agency (SUNA) said yesterday that it has obtained testimonies from victims of human trafficking who are currently held in the Al-Jili camp.

According to the agency, the Sudanese rapid support forces thwarted on Saturday an attempt to smuggle 154 people in the triangle border area between Sudan, Libya and Egypt.

Director of Guidance and Services Department at the Rapid Support Forces, Colonel Dr. Murtadha Othman Abu Al-Qassim, told SUNA that the group moved from the Malha area to Libya, noting that a majority of the group members are between 22 and 26-years-old and are mainly Sudanese but there are also other Arab nationalities.

He explained that preliminary investigations revealed that the detainees are affiliated with terrorist organisations and harmful groups.

One of the detainees, Al-Tayyib Abdullah, said “we moved from the Libyan market to the triangle area and from there to the state of Libya. I resorted to smuggling in order to study and look for work. We were caught by the rapid support forces who treated us well and provided us with all kinds of aid. I hope that young people do not think about travel through smuggling because it is a big risk and the rapid support forces are everywhere”.

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Mohammed Adam said that he lives in Omdurman, Dar es Salaam, adding that he had paid 2,500 Sudanese pounds to reach Libya: “We were arrested in the desert. There were 16 of us. The driver attempted to escape but one of the tyres was broken and the rapid support forces caught us.”

Ali Abu-Qasim Daoud said: “We travelled to Libya and our destination was Europe. I paid 2,500 [Sudanese] pounds to reach Libya and we were arrested in the desert.”

Meanwhile, Abdullah Mohammed Hamid said he is married and has five children and his wife is pregnant with their sixth child.

“My mother is old and I have two sisters whom I support and our circumstances are difficult. That is why we thought about travel through smuggling. I wanted to do my best to look for work. We were arrested while in a vehicle driven by a Libyan man,” he added.