Sudanese government troops and policemen arrested 10 local residents including the sheikh of Lagori village in South Kordofan State on 18 June, according a human rights organization in the area.

The Nuba Mountains-based Human Rights and Development Organization (HUDO) reported Sunday that a group of SAF soldiers and a police unit with over 60 vehicles cordoned off the Lagori village, about 27 kilomentres northeast of South Kordofan’s capital Kadugli.

After surrounding the village, the joint forces took about 10 villagers to an unknown destination.  HUDO said it obtained credible information that the detainees were taken into military custody and subjected to torture.

Seven detainees were identified as the sheikh of Lagori Mustafa Bashir, Zachariah Matar, Halima Hassan El Iyasir, Kaka Hussein Tutu, Mohamed Mousa Makki, Amna Madebu Kortekeila, and Abdullah Khamis.

HUDO said in an appeal seen by Radio Tamazuj that the attack may be linked with the government troops' defeat in the battle of Daldako in late May.

The organization said rights of civilians are being violated every day in Nuba Mountains, with many civilians detained in El Abassiya, Rashad, and Abu Jabeiha localities.

The organization appealed to the international community to put pressure on the Khartoum government in order to stop the targeting of civilians in South Kordofan.