Sudan’s RSF received surface-to-air missiles from Russia’s Wagner: US

Russia’s Wagner Group has recently provided Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF) with surface-to-air missiles, the US said Thursday as it rolled out new sanctions against the Russian mercenary group.

“Most recently in Sudan, the Wagner Group has been supplying Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces with surface-to-air missiles to fight against Sudan’s army, contributing to a prolonged armed conflict that only results in further chaos in the region,” the Treasury Department said in a statement.

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The accusations came in the same statement that announced US sanctions against the head of Russia’s Wagner Group in Mali.

Earlier this week, the US declassified information revealing that the group was trying to procure weapons for the Kremlin from Africa, specifically Mali.

Washington has accused the Wagner Group of meddling in and destabilizing multiple African countries while committing human rights abuses and appropriating natural resources.

“As Russia’s military has struggled on the battlefield, Putin has resorted to relying on the Wagner Group to continue his war of choice,” the Treasury Department said.

A fragile ceasefire brokered by the US and Saudi Arabia has seen decreased violence but not a complete halt. The State Department said Thursday that the monitoring mechanism recorded possible ceasefire breaches.

Sudan’s army and the RSF have been engaged in clashes for several weeks as the two sides fight for control of the government.

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