The Sudanese Army’s Military Intelligence on Tuesday apprehended Talab Al-Khatim, a leading member of the National Umma Party, in the Al-Petrol neighbourhood of El Obeid, North Kordofan State. He was then transported to an undisclosed location.

Muhannad Urabi, a senior member of the National Umma Party, confirmed the arrest to Radio Tamazuj, stating, “Today (Tuesday), a unit affiliated with the Military Intelligence in North Kordofan, El Obeid, arrested Talab Al-Khatim. He was apprehended in the Al-Petroleum neighbourhood market while with his son and taken to an undisclosed location.”

He mentioned that the detainee instructed his son to notify the family about the situation. Muhannad confirmed that neither the National Umma Party nor the family has any information about his whereabouts, and the army is responsible for his safety.

He emphasized that the arrest of the party member is part of the Sudanese army’s apparent “targeting of the National Umma Party, as well as the Forces for Freedom and Change, and all civilians advocating for an end to the war in Sudan.”

The Sudanese Military Intelligence initiated a series of arrests in several states last week, including Al-Gedaref, Sinnar, White Nile, and North Kordofan. 

The Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) began battling each other in mid-April last year as tensions over plans for a new political transition.

The conflict has driven nearly 8.5 million people from their homes, creating the world's biggest displacement crisis, pushed parts of the 49-million population close to famine, and triggered waves of ethnically driven killings and sexual violence in the western region of Darfur.

About 13,900 people have been killed since the fighting broke out, according to data recorded by the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project.