Sudan deploys RSF militiamen in River Nile to protect gold mining

September 3, 2014 (KHARTOUM) – The Sudanese government has deployed some units of the controversial militia of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in the River Nile state to protect gold fossickers following an increase of insecurity in the region.

The northern Sudan state is witnessing feverish worker migration from different parts of the country following the discovery of gold deposits there.

Sudanese police authorities recently reported an increase of looting incidents in the northern part of the River Nile state where are located gold mining and prospecting activities.

The director of the National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS) in the Nile River, Abdel Sayed Omer, told Ashorooq TV that “the deployment of the RSF (militiamen) comes in line with a decision by the state security committee to meet security needs”.

Omer further pointed that the decision of federal authorities was dictated by the challenges of security and stability in the northern areas where are the mining activities.

He said the deployment of RSF elements, which will work jointly with the police of the River Nile, has a dissuasive function to ensure security and public tranquillity in the gold prospecting areas.

Composed of former militia groups in Darfur and Kordofan regions to fight rebel groups across the country, the RSF were used to clamp down the anti-austerity protests in September 2013 where over two hundred protesters were killed.

The militia forces, which are under the command of the NISS, are accused of committing war crimes and atrocities against civilians in Darfur and South Kordofan.

(ST)