WASHINGTON: US Secretary of State Antony Blinken warned Monday that Russia’s Wagner mercenary group risked aggravating Sudan’s conflict, with Kenya’s top diplomat also criticizing involvement by Middle Eastern powers.
“We do have deep concern about the engagement of the Prigozhin group – the Wagner group – in Sudan,” Blinken told a news conference, referring to the Kremlin-linked outfit’s founder Yevgeny Prigozhin.
Blinken said Wagner – which has been active in Mali and the Central African Republic as well as in Russia’s invasion of Ukraine – “simply brings more death and destruction with it” wherever it is involved.
British PM Sunak chairs emergency meeting on Sudan
Kenya’s foreign secretary, Alfred Mutua, also pointed the finger at Middle Eastern countries. He did not name them, but Egypt and the United Arab Emirates have been widely reported to have backed Sudan’s warring generals.
“We’ve been quite concerned by some of our friends in the Middle East,” he said, “as well as Russia or others who for a long time have been friendly to either one or the other side.”
“At this particular time, it is not a time to be able to take sides in a war,” Mutua said.
He added that foreign players were “trying to use Sudan as a playing field for whatever reason.”
“We are asking external forces to leave Sudan alone.”
Media reports quoting officials have alleged that Wagner has supplied weapons to the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, which has been battling Sudan’s army for the past 10 days.
Even as Western nations evacuate from Sudan, Mutua said that Kenya believed a deal was “within reach” between Rapid Support Forces chief Mohamed Hamdan Daglo and his rival, army commander Abdel Fattah al-Burhan.
“The fighting is still going on in Sudan, but we just feel that at least we have an entryway. They have not locked themselves up and shut their ears to the world,” Mutua said.
He said Kenya was ready “at a moment’s notice” to mediate, with President William Ruto willing to fly to Sudan if security conditions allow.
US President Joe Biden on Saturday ordered the evacuation of American diplomats from Khartoum, a sign of growing concern about deteriorating security even as he and Blinken press for a diplomatic solution.
Blinken said the United States was still in “very active touch” with Americans in Sudan, although most were dual nationals.
“I would say some dozens have expressed an interest in leaving,” Blinken said.
“We have been working with allies and with partners to do as much as we can to enable them to find their way out if that’s what they choose to do,” he said.
Comments
Comments are closed.