Sudan army regrets South Sudanese mercenaries in war
Army chief al-Atta accused the RSF of recruiting tens of thousands of South Sudanese fighters as mercenaries.
Sudan’s Army Chief of Staff, Lt. Gen. Yassir al-Atta, expressed regret on Sunday in Khartoum over the alleged recruitment of tens of thousands of South Sudanese nationals by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) to fight in Sudan’s war. Al-Atta described South Sudan as a “sisterly country” but accused the RSF of recruiting thousands of its nationals as mercenaries, alongside fighters from Chad, Libya, Niger, Ethiopia, Somalia, other West African countries, and Colombia.
A UN Panel of Experts report from April 2024 stated that South Sudanese nationals fought on both sides of Sudan’s conflict, some independently and others forcibly recruited, though the report did not link their actions to the South Sudanese government. Former South Sudanese Interior Minister Angelina Teny had acknowledged in November 2023 that South Sudanese nationals were participating in the conflict. Al-Atta also accused the UAE and Israel’s Mossad of supporting the RSF.
Al-Atta sought to distance the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) military campaign from ethnic targeting in Darfur and Kordofan, stating the army’s intention is to fight the RSF and its “mercenaries” without targeting communities. He indicated that attacks on electricity and infrastructure would not deter the army from defeating the RSF and capturing all Sudanese territory. The RSF and the South Sudanese government had not yet commented on al-Atta’s remarks.
Why it mattersSouth Sudanese nationals are reportedly being recruited as mercenaries to fight in Sudan's war, affecting their involvement in the conflict.