Sudan denies targeting South Sudanese in massive deportation drive

JUBA – The Sudanese Embassy in South Sudan has dismissed allegations that its government deliberately targeted South Sudanese nationals in a recent deportation exercise, insisting that the operation was part of a broader effort to regulate the presence of foreigners in Sudan.

Earlier this month, more than 100 South Sudanese women were reportedly deported from Khartoum, Sudan’s capital, without their children.

The incident sparked widespread outrage after reports emerged that the women had been rounded up in their homes and on the streets, detained, and then sent to the Joda border area linking Sudan and South Sudan’s Upper Nile State. The mothers were later reunited with their children following public pressure.

In a statement issued on Sunday, the Sudanese Embassy in Juba rejected claims that South Sudanese citizens were specifically targeted.

“The Embassy of Sudan in the Republic of South Sudan affirms that the recent measures taken by the Sudanese authorities to maintain security and address negative phenomena in the capital, Khartoum, did not in any way target South Sudanese citizens,” the statement read in part.

It added that the campaign was “part of a comprehensive national plan aimed at regulating foreign presence and ensuring public security and stability.”

The embassy further explained that the operation was conducted in line with Sudanese laws governing the entry, stay, and employment of foreigners.

“These measures are being implemented in accordance with applicable laws and regulations, while respecting the dignity of all residents on Sudanese territory without discrimination,” the statement continued.

Reaffirming Sudan’s commitment to the welfare of South Sudanese living in the country, the embassy said Khartoum remains dedicated to protecting their rights and providing necessary support in line with the historical relationship between the two nations.

“The Embassy takes this opportunity to deny rumors spread by malicious parties regarding the targeting of Southern citizens. These allegations serve agendas that aim to distort facts and sow discord between the two brotherly peoples,” it added.

The embassy also cited the recent visit of South Sudan’s Foreign Minister, Monday Semaya, to Port Sudan as evidence of the “depth and strength” of bilateral relations.

Meanwhile, local officials at the South Sudan–Sudan border have condemned the deportations. Renk County Commissioner Diing Deng Lueth, who visited Joda during the incident, described the deportations as “inhumane” and ordered the impoundment of the buses used in the operation until the mothers were reunited with their children.

He accused Khartoum state authorities of violating humanitarian principles and called on Sudan to ensure the safety and well-being of South Sudanese nationals within its borders.