Reports from South Sudanese refugee camps in Khartoum claim that armed groups have been kidnapping youth from the camps, many of whom are waiting for the authorities to transfer them to South Sudan.

A local activist, who opted to remain anonymous, told Radio Tamazuj that the issue has become a great concern to the stranded returnees, particularly in the eastern Nile district of Haj-Yusuf where many of the camps are based.

The groups are allegedly armed with guns and machetes and dressed as civilians and are reported to have been kidnapping young camp residents for nearly a week now.

The last incident two days ago resulted in 8 youths being abducted while two others were wounded after attempting to resist to the attackers. Approximately 30 others were kidnapped in Karton Kassala residential area of the same district a few days prior and an unknown number of others were abducted in the Kalakala residential area of Jebel Aulia on the outskirts of the city.

“Yes, they used to come at night at 8-9pm and sometimes at 10pm to the camps and start arresting people and sometimes they beat people or took people in (a) vehicle to unknown destinations. At station 2 camp they kidnapped about 8 people and wounded 2 others.  While in Karton Kassala they kidnapped 3 people and in Kalakala they took as much as they like,” a source alleged to Radio Tamazuj from Khartoum.

Furthermore, the relatives of the abductees have not reported the cases to the local authorities, allegedly out of fear of reprisal as well as of having their details collected which could enable detention by the authorities later due to their citizenship status or perceived political affiliation.