Seven displaced people from Nierteti in Central Darfur, who were arrested after meeting with US Special Envoy Donald Booth in late July, have been transferred to the state capital of Zalingei.

El Shafee Abdallah, the Coordinator of the camps for the displaced of Central Darfur, told Radio Dabanga that Ahmed Suleiman, Adam Mohamed Ali, Ali Abdelaziz Mohamed, El Tijani Seifeldin and Nasreldin Yousef Ibrahim, who were being held at the Nierteti security apparatus detention centre, and Adam Hamid Adam and Ahmed Omar, who were held in Military Intelligence cells, were all transferred to Zalingei on Thursday 25 August.

Agents of the National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS) detained 15 of a group of 20 displaced elders, women, and youths, after they met with Donald Booth, the US Special envoy for Sudan and South Sudan, during his visit to Nierteti on 27 July. Five of the detained were released later.

A member of the committee informed Radio Dabanga on 27 July that they told Booth about the killings, rapes, detentions, and torture by the government and its militias, and the occupation of their land by new settlers. They further said that Unamid is incapable of protecting itself, “let alone protecting the displaced people”.

The detentions prompted a chorus of condemnation, at home and abroad, with statements from e.g. the USA and the Darfur Bar Association.

Sudan’s Foreign Minister, Ibrahim Ghandour, faced criticism after he denied the arrest of anyone by the security apparatus in Nierteti. In response, Central Darfur camps coordinator Abdallah likened Ghandour to Musalyimah El Kazab (a false Muslim prophet also known as ‘the liar’).