Sudanese authorities arrest Ethiopian female snipers

June 20, 2024 (GEDAREF) – Amidst the ongoing conflict in Sudan, authorities in Gederaf state bordering Ethiopia have apprehended six Ethiopian women accused of serving as snipers for the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

This development further substantiates claims by the Sudanese military that foreign nationals are being recruited as mercenaries.

Sources revealed to Sudan Tribune that these women had been operating within the RSF for over a year, leveraging their specialized sniping expertise gained in Ethiopia. Their alleged involvement in operations against the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and security agencies is supported by images of military engagements and weaponry found on their phones.

The women were reportedly intercepted while attempting to flee to Ethiopia through the Amhara region following escalating violence in Khartoum. Arrangements had purportedly been made for their safe passage and remuneration upon reaching Ethiopia.

These arrests follow earlier reports of captured South Sudanese nationals fighting alongside the RSF. Also, a video released by the SRF fighters after the capture of El-Fula shows an Ethiopian raising the flag of their country.