Wagner group accused of deadly incursions into Sudan from CAR

September 18, 2025 (NYALA) – Russian ‘Wagner’ group fighters have crossed into Sudan from the Central African Republic (CAR), killing civilians and forcing nomads to flee their villages, according to local sources and a statement from tribal leaders.

The incursions began last Friday in the Um Dafouq area of South Darfur, with Wagner fighters penetrating more than 35 km into Sudan, local sources in the state capital Nyala said. The fighters killed at least seven civilians and forced residents of several villages, including Al-Sohaib, Umm Tabila, and Bashma, to abandon their homes, the sources added.

A tribal leader said the Wagner fighters, moving in 4×4 vehicles, motorcycles, and armoured cars, were firing randomly at civilians in their homes and on their farms. He noted that the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) had withdrawn from some border posts in the area weeks earlier without explanation.

A statement issued by Sudanese border tribes condemned the attacks, which it said killed and injured many innocent people. The statement accused the Sudanese Army’s military intelligence and the General Intelligence Service of coordinating and funding the Wagner operation to “incite sedition and drag the entire region into a devastating conflict.”

The border region is predominantly inhabited by the Salamat tribe, which also has a large presence in CAR.

The RSF has controlled the Sudan-CAR border since its war with the army began in April 2023 and has long been accused of using it as a supply route. A June 2023 CNN report said Wagner was arming the RSF through Darfur.

The porous border is a known hub for arms smuggling, drug trafficking, and other illegal activities. Over 38,000 Sudanese refugees have fled into CAR since the war started, according to U.N. figures.