The office of a French aid organisation was closed down by the police in Central Darfur State capital Zalingei at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday. The forces surrounded the compound and handed all assets to the Humanitarian Aid Commission (HAC), a government organ that regulates NGOs in Sudan.

Security officers had entered the ACTED compound in Zalingei on Monday and ordered the staff to leave the premises within 48 hours. Later they apparently extended the deadline until Thursday.  

The Agency for Technical Cooperation and Development (ACTED) has thus far declined to comment, but provided all its remaining staff members with a letter of termination on Wednesday, prior to their last working day.

The organisation had to surrender all its vehicles, stores and computers. A staff member told Radio Dabanga on Wednesday that ACTED was under pressure to leave Sudan entirely.

“The government wants ACTED to leave Sudan entirely,” said the employee, who asked to remain anonymous.

On Thursday, ACTED prevented the employee from talking to the press, and was not willing to provide any information.

ACTED provides support to the displaced people in Zalingei area, including water and sanitation for the camps and the surrounding villages.

At least 50 members of the national staff are employed in the Central Darfur office, a local staff member said. According to the French organization’s website, they have overall 83 national staff and 3 internationals working in Sudan.

File photo: A camp for internally displaced people in Zalingei, Central Darfur (Radio Dabanga archive)