Sudanese general says they warned Juba about mercenaries fighting with RSF

January 19, 2025 (ED DAMAZIN) – A top Sudanese general claimed on Saturday that the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) has been informing South Sudan for two years about the involvement of South Sudanese nationals fighting alongside the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

Lieutenant General Yasir Al-Atta, Assistant Commander-in-Chief of the SAF, alleged these mercenaries constitute 65% of the RSF while addressing soldiers at the army’s Fourth Division headquarters in Ed Damazin.

“We have been in contact with South Sudanese officials over the past two years regarding the involvement of South Sudanese opposition figures fighting alongside the RSF,” Al-Atta said. He cited Stephen Buoy as an example and expressed disappointment with Juba’s lack of action to address the issue.

Al-Atta’s statements follow recent reports of violence against Sudanese refugees and residents in Juba and other South Sudanese towns. These incidents occurred after the reported killing of South Sudanese nationals in Wad Madani, Sudan, amidst a purge of suspected RSF collaborators following the army’s takeover of the city.

Al-Atta further claimed that other foreign fighters within the RSF’s ranks come from Libya, Chad, Ethiopia, the Central African Republic, Colombia, and Syria, along with remnants of Russia’s Wagner Group. He stated that original “Janjaweed leaders” comprise no more than 5% of the force.

While expressing confidence in South Sudanese President Salva Kiir, Al-Atta called on the country’s media and security agencies to “intervene and demand that South Sudanese mercenaries stop fighting with the RSF.”

He added that under General Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan and General Shams El Din Kabashi, Sudan’s military leadership remains committed to upholding the rule of law and pursuing legal action against mercenaries.

Al-Atta condemned alleged atrocities committed by the RSF, including “burying young men alive and violence against women.” He urged against exaggerating individual incidents while acknowledging the suffering of Sudanese civilians.

The general expressed confidence in the Sudanese people’s resilience and ability to overcome the current crisis despite alleged foreign support for the RSF. He appeared to reference the United Arab Emirates in this accusation.