Sudanese Journalist Detained by Armed Group in Al Jazirah

4 August 2026

Al-Raih Essam Jaxa

August 3, 2026 (WAD MADANI) – The Sudanese Journalists Syndicate on Monday condemned the detention of journalist Al-Raih Essam Jaxa by the Sudan Shield Forces near Wad Madani in Al Jazirah state, holding the group responsible for his safety.

Jaxa was stopped on Sunday at a checkpoint while returning from an assignment at the University of Gezira’s College of Education in Al-Hasaheisa. Armed men forcibly removed him from his vehicle and took him to an undisclosed location.

The syndicate called for Jaxa’s immediate, unconditional release and demanded that authorities reveal his whereabouts, warning that attacks by armed groups severely impede press freedom and the flow of information during the ongoing conflict.

The incident highlights a growing wave of violations against journalists in Sudan, including arbitrary arrests, enforced disappearances, and physical attacks documented by human rights groups since the war began.