West Criticizes Arrest of Politicians in Sudan

Sudanese protesters block a street in Khartoum in anti-coup protests, seen here on January 20. (AFP)
Sudanese protesters block a street in Khartoum in anti-coup protests, seen here on January 20. (AFP)
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West Criticizes Arrest of Politicians in Sudan

Sudanese protesters block a street in Khartoum in anti-coup protests, seen here on January 20. (AFP)
Sudanese protesters block a street in Khartoum in anti-coup protests, seen here on January 20. (AFP)

Sudan on Friday denounced Western criticism of the arrest of two high-profile former officials opposed to military rule and charged with corruption, saying it was contrary to "diplomatic norms and practices".

Khalid Omer Yousif and Wagdi Salih were arrested on Wednesday, a move Norway, the United States, Britain, the European Union, Canada, and Switzerland condemned as "harassment and intimidation" by Sudan's military authorities.

"This is blatant interference in internal Sudanese affairs, contrary to diplomatic norms and practices," the Sudanese Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

Both men had been part of the government that was toppled on Oct. 25.

The coup ended a partnership between the military and civilian political parties, drawing international condemnation and plunging Sudan into turmoil, with frequent nationwide demonstrations against the coup and a wave of political detentions.

Lawyers told Reuters this week more than 100 people remain in prison.

Protests organized by neighborhood resistance committees have drawn hundreds of thousands of people, and at least 79 have been killed and more than 2,000 injured in crackdowns.

The European Union together with five western countries Friday expressed alarm over the arrests and detentions of several high-profile political figures in Sudan on Wednesday.

"These troubling actions are part of a recent pattern of arrests and detentions of civil society activists, journalists, and humanitarian workers occurring throughout Sudan these last weeks," said the EU, Norway, the UK, the US, Canada, and Switzerland in a joint statement.

"We condemn this harassment and intimidation on the part of Sudan's military authorities. This is wholly inconsistent with their stated commitment to participate constructively in a facilitated process to resolve Sudan's political crisis to return to a democratic transition," it said.

The statement called "for an immediate end to such practices and for the immediate release of all those unjustly detained."

"We remind Sudan's military authorities of their obligations to respect the human rights and guarantee the safety of those detained or arrested and the need to ensure that due process is consistently followed in all cases," said the statement.

The lifting of the state of emergency, declared at the time of the October 25 military takeover, would send a positive signal, it added.



Kurdish Leaderships Reveal Details of Plan to Merge with Syrian Army

Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) commander Mazloum Abdi. (Reuters)
Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) commander Mazloum Abdi. (Reuters)
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Kurdish Leaderships Reveal Details of Plan to Merge with Syrian Army

Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) commander Mazloum Abdi. (Reuters)
Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) commander Mazloum Abdi. (Reuters)

Sources close to the Kurdish Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) said the group’s decision to merge its military and security bodies with those of the Kurdish Autonomous Administration is a serious step toward talks with Damascus.

The move, announced late Monday, aims to integrate the SDF into the Syrian army.

SDF commander Mazloum Abdi invited Syrian interim President Ahmed Al-Sharaa to visit SDF-held areas in northeastern Syria, congratulating him on leading the country’s transition.

The SDF had published the minutes of a three-way meeting that included Abdi along with leaders from the group’s political wing, the Syrian Democratic Council, and the executive administration of the Autonomous Administration.

The meeting resulted in an agreement to merge the SDF’s military and security institutions with the security bodies of the Autonomous Administration under the Syrian army’s structure.

It also approved the reactivation of state-run civil and service institutions in northeastern Syria and the withdrawal of non-Syrian foreign fighters from SDF ranks and areas under its control as part of efforts to bolster national sovereignty and stability.

Abu Omar Al-Idlibi, a senior commander in the SDF, told Asharq Al-Awsat that the meeting concluded with an understanding that the SDF would be integrated into Syria’s Ministry of Defense as a single unit, potentially within a corps or as part of the ministry’s eastern command.

However, he noted that discussions were still in their early stages and that oil and gas fields in northeastern Syria were not on the agenda at this stage, but could be addressed in future talks.

Al-Idlibi described the move as an effort to unify forces and strengthen national unity, while reviving state-run civil and service institutions in the northeast to improve public services and living conditions.

The meeting emphasized the need to boost coordination with Damascus, increase dialogue on national issues, and reaffirm Syria’s territorial integrity.

Al-Idlibi said the latest decisions would support the integration of local forces into the Syrian army, bolster its defense capabilities, and facilitate the return of displaced people to their hometowns, particularly those from areas affected by Turkish military operations.