There are at least a hundred thousand, if not more, black African Christian and animist slaves held in northern Sudan. The slave raids take place mainly in northern Bahr El Ghazal, from where the PDF can quickly retreat northwards, out of the reach of the forces of the democratic opposition. The raiders do not generally have much mechanized transportation, but travel through the bush on horses, camels and by foot. The PDF cannot mount major operations in the area during the muddy rainy season. Instead, the raids tend to occur during the dry season, when the PDF has maximum mobility.
Torture is commonplace.
Old men and women, unfit for heavy labor, are generally beaten and robbed of their possessions. Younger men are routinely shot dead on the spot, as they cannot be trained into useful and harmless slaves. Children and young women are captured and enslaved. The women slaves are made to carry on their heads and back the booty of their captors. Whatever cannot be carried away is burned, leaving survivors completely destitute.