Wagner group provided missiles to Sudan’s RSF, says U.S. Treasury

May 25, 2023 (KHARTOUM) – Russia’s Wagner mercenary group provided the Sudanese paramilitary forces with surface-to-air missiles, said the U.S. Treasury on Thursday.

The US Treasury Department on sanctioned Ivan Alexandrovich Maslov, the leader of the Wagner Group in Mali, for collaborating with the Russian paramilitary group to disrupt the stability of several African countries.

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,” said the Treasury Department.

Last month, Antony Blinken, the U.S. Secretary of State, expressed concern regarding Wagner’s involvement in Sudan. However, he did not provide any evidence to support his statement.

According to the Africa Intelligence newsletter based in Paris, on April 28th, there were reports that Wagner attempted to transport AK-47 rifles and man-portable air defence systems (MANPADS) from the northern Central African Republic to Sudan. These reports were based on information from US and French intelligence services.

On May 10,  General Yasir al-Atta, a member of the Sovereign Council, said that Wagner elements are present in the gold mines of the RSF Commander Mohamed Hamdan Daglo.

But Yevgeny Prigozhin Wagner’s leader denied the accusations saying they do not operate in Sudan.

(ST)