South Sudan Confirms Rapid Support Forces Incursion in Raja
September 5, 2024 (JUBA) – South Sudan has confirmed the presence of Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF) within its borders, causing concern among local residents and authorities about potential military clashes.
A South Sudanese field commander told Sudan Tribune on Thursday that the RSF initially entered the area claiming they had permission from authorities in Juba and Wau to set up a temporary camp until the displacement situation in Sudan is resolved.
“We are in a difficult situation,” the commander explained, citing communication challenges in the remote area. “This is the situation these people (RSF) have exploited and started establishing their camps here.”
The officer, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the RSF became active in the area after gaining control of a part of South Darfur.
“They come and go, but in February this year they started moving in with heavy equipment,” he said. “We understood them as people running away from airstrikes… but these days, they started exploiting mineral resources.”
Raja County Commissioner Addison Arkangelo Musa told Sudan Tribune he had reported the RSF presence to state authorities, including Governor Sarah Cleto Rial. However, a brigade commander contradicted his reports, stating that neither he nor the commissioner were authorized to speak to the media about the presence of foreign forces.
“I have come to brief state authorities about the general situation of the county,” Commissioner Musa said. “One of the issues is the issue of refugees and returnees from Sudan… In terms of security, this is a major issue… it is the issue of Rapid Support Forces (RSF) who come into the area not as refugees but have come in a huge force and are now involved in exploiting mineral resources.”
The RSF is a Sudanese paramilitary group that has been fighting the Sudanese Armed Forces since April 2023.
Commissioner Musa said the RSF moved into the area south of Radom locality and is now in Kafia Kinji, Sungu, and Hofra Al Nahas.
“First, they came in as searching for Sudanese armed forces… Now they are in Kafia Kinji and you know that the area of Kafia Kinji belongs to South Sudan,” Musa explained.
He added that Radom, Sungu, and Hofra Al Nahas belonged to Raja County but were controlled by the Sudanese army due to incomplete border demarcation after South Sudan’s secession.
However, Brigadier General James Par Riek, the military officer in charge of the battalion in Raja, denied the presence of the RSF in Raja County.
“I have no details of the reports you are talking about,” Gen Riek said. “They say the commissioner is talking about the presence of the Rapid Support Force… but you know very well that these areas have been under the control of Sudan.”
He acknowledged receiving members of the Sudanese armed forces who had abandoned their positions at the border, with the knowledge and approval of higher authorities.
Gen Riek emphasized that it was not within the competence of the county commissioner or himself to unilaterally announce the presence of foreign forces.
“If there are some reports like that, we have a law that prohibits the entrance of armed forces into the country with weapons,” he said. “If one of the groups fighting in Sudan comes to us in South Sudan, we take their guns from them and welcome them as civilians.”