Security forces in Sudan arrested Al Jazeera bureau chief in Khartoum

The Sudanese security forces arrested Al-Musalmi al-Kabbashi yesterday, the Khartoum bureau chief of Qatari broadcaster Al-Jazeera. A statement by Al-Jazeera and news reports claim that security forces raided al-Kabbashi's Khartoum home early yesterday morning. As of today, he remains in detention, and authorities have not disclosed the reason for his arrest.

According to a statement released on Sunday, "Al Jazeera condemns the military's reprehensible actions and urges the authorities to immediately release El Kabbashi and to permit its journalists to operate freely without fear or intimidation," the Doha-based broadcaster said.

Sudanese authorities have targeted Al Jazeera before. Security forces shut down the broadcaster's office in Khartoum in 2019 and revoked the work permits of its correspondents in the country.

Sudan's military takeover sparked protests the day before al-Kabbashi's arrest, according to news reports. Sudan's civilian government was dissolved on October 25 by the military, according to those reports. A reporter for the independent news website Darfur 24 was arrested in South Darfur State on November 13 while covering a protest; the reporter was later released without charges.

* This article contained information that was sourced from Reuters | Photo credits: Showkat Shafi/Al Jazeera