The Committee for the Exchange of Detainees with the Rapid Support Forces Begins its Work

On July 26, 2026, the committee established by the Chairman of the Sovereignty Council, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, commenced its work related to the exchange of detainees with the Rapid Support Forces by holding its first meeting. This decision came within the framework of the Sudanese government's commitment to protecting civilians throughout the country, and in line with the United Nations initiative in this regard. In a previous statement, Sudanese Foreign Minister Mohi El-Din Salem welcomed an initiative by the UN Secretary-General's Special Envoy, Pekka Haavisto, to cooperate with the International Committee of the Red Cross on the exchange of prisoners of war. The meeting addressed the preparatory measures for the detainee exchange process, including counting, classifying, and preparing the necessary records. It emphasized the importance of communicating with relevant parties and developing a plan to provide medical and psychological support to detainees before, during, and after the exchange. The committee called on families to report their relatives detained by the Rapid Support Forces to the nearest police station or public prosecutor's office within one week. The Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have been detaining tens of thousands of civilians since the start of the war on April 15, 2023. After the army regained control in May 2025, thousands of detained civilians were transferred to RSF-controlled areas in Darfur, where they live in dire humanitarian conditions. Amjad Farid, an advisor to the Chairman of the Sovereignty Council, stated in a tweet that an official committee has been established to manage the detainees' file and facilitate their release and exchange under the auspices of the UN envoy. He added that this measure strengthens humanitarian efforts to resolve the issue of the disappeared and detained, offering hope for learning the fate of their loved ones and ending years of suffering and waiting. The Permanent Representative of Sudan to the United Nations, Al-Harith Idris, also sent a letter addressing the conditions at the Daqris prison in Nyala, which holds more than 19,800 detainees and prisoners. He confirmed that among these detainees are civilians, military personnel, and a number of medical staff who were transferred from various states.