Head of Sudan's RSF accuses Egypt of being involved in airstrikes
10/10/2024 6:15
The leader of the Sudanese paramilitary Rapid Support Forces
(RSF) Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, known as Hemedti, accused Egypt of
being involved in airstrikes on the group's troops in a recorded
speech on Wednesday.
He also accused Cairo of training and providing drones
to the country's army, which has recently gained an upper hand
in the conflict that has ravaged the country for almost 18
months.
The Egyptian foreign ministry was not immediately
available to comment.
While Egypt has been perceived as close to the Sudanese
army and its chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, the country has
joined efforts by the U.S. and Saudi Arabia to mediate the
conflict.
Cairo also hosted talks between rival political factions
earlier this year.
In his recorded video message, Hemedti said Egypt used
U.S. bombs in its strikes.
"If the Americans were not in agreement these bombs
would not reach Sudan," he added.
He also referred to Tigrayan, Eritrean, Azerbaijani and
Ukrainian mercenaries being present in the country and
reiterated accusations that Iranians participated in the war
alongside the army.
The army has recently made advances in the Sudanese
capital Kharotum and the southeastern Sennar state, where
Hemedti suggested the alleged Egyptian airstrikes against his
troops pushed them back from the stratgic Jebel Moya area.
In what appeared to be a change in tone from previous
statements supporting peace efforts, the RSF's head said: "This
war will not end in one or two, three, four years. Some talk
about one million soldiers and soon we will reach one million."
The war in Sudan, which erupted in April 2023, has
forced almost 10 million people from their homes, sparked
widespread hunger and famine, and seen waves of
ethnically-driven violence blamed largely on the RSF.
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