According to sources in the opposition, mercenaries from PMC Wagner is currently active in Sudan, conducting strategic and practical training of the forces of intelligence and security
Pixabay.com
The opposition raises concerns that the Kremlin is moving in the direction of supporting the autocratic regime of President Omar al-Bashir
The press service of the President of Russia
The opposition forces of the Sudan became known that in capital gains, the Russian military PMC Wagner, and they are involved in the crackdown on anti-government rallies that swept the country since mid-December, 2018, according to The Times , citing sources.
The opposition raises concerns that the Kremlin is moving in the direction of supporting the autocratic regime of President Omar al-Bashir, while his military dictatorship for the first time in 30 years, were faced with protest activity.
According to sources in the opposition, the shadow of the Russian mercenaries from a private company Wagner now active in Sudan, conducting strategic and practical training of the forces of intelligence and security, published a translation of the material Ino Pressa. “As expected, in the Central African Republic (CAR), Sudan’s neighbouring country, placed hundreds of employees in the group “Wagner”, and last year they helped in training the military. Here in July were killed three Russian journalists investigating the activities of mercenaries”, – the newspaper reminds.
– In the Central African Republic are preparing to host the Russian military base and expect that Russia will change the fate of the country
– InoPressa: the Battle of the cold war, taking a new form in contemporary Africa
“In 2017, the U.S. Treasury Department added the group “Wagner” in a long list of Russian citizens and structures that fall under the sanctions due to involvement in the conflict in Ukraine. According to the Ministry, in Syria, there are 2.5 thousand fighters of the organization”, – says the publication.
The publication notes that the mercenaries went to Sudan when the Kremlin seeks to develop in this part of the African continent’s trade, security and defense. Russian government to date has invested $ 400 million in the construction of the platinum – mining venture in Zimbabwe and in large nuclear power plants in Egypt, as well as $ 220 million in a project for the extraction of bauxite in Guinea.
The opposition showed to the correspondent of the newspaper pictures of dozens of white men in camouflage uniforms moving in armored vehicles and patrolling anti-government rallies in Khartoum. Analysts believe that al-Bashir and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, rather allow the beginning of the civil war, rather than renounce power, risking to appear before the Hague Tribunal.
“Russia played host to Bashir, who agreed to help President Putin to implement his ambition aimed at the expansion of influence in Africa. Bashir, convicted by the International criminal court for war crimes, needs influential allies, as it is more and more isolation,” said the Times.
Russian private military contractors spotted in Sudanhttps://t.co/Y6KnM7xcw7 pic.twitter.com/J9upQve3NK
— Defence blog (@Defence_blog) 6 Jan 2019.
The BBC Russian service with reference to the Times recalls that the USSR was the largest supplier of weapons and advisors to African countries, then sought to throw off the shackles of European colonization. At the same time, Moscow used ethnic differences and conflicts to foment anti-Western sentiment among the indigenous African population.
However, after the collapse of the Soviet Union Moscow’s influence in the region came to naught. Now, according to the Times, fighting the hegemony of the United States, Russian President Vladimir Putin has once again started to develop commercial and military ties with the countries of the continent. This also helps to open the African market for Russian companies under us sanctions. Therefore, Russia has every reason to support the ruling regimes against the rebels and the opposition.
Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir, rarely appearing in public, January 9, addressed thousands of his supporters gathered in Khartoum in support of their leader. He announced the plot against the state and speaking about the protests, has promised that will not allow to do to Sudan what was done with other countries.
Earlier, the British, American, canadian and Norwegian diplomats, in a joint statement expressed outrage at the violent suppression of peaceful demonstrations by Sudanese security services.
As for PMC Wagner, which is associated with the “chef Putin,” Yevgeny Prigozhin, it was reported that in April 2018, its representatives arrived in the Central African Republic and joined other Russian mercenaries who arrived from Sudan, where Moscow has in recent years shows increased activity.
The media also wrote that the gold mining in the Sudan is a Russian company “M invest”, which is associated with Prigogine.
The estimated number of CARS in Russians varies from 250 to one thousand people, Reuters reported in October 2018. The CARS can be thousands of Russians in other countries of Africa, including Sudan, South Sudan and Libya, up to five thousand people.
Investigation of Russian PMCs Wagner in the CARS cost the life of reporter Orkhan Jemal, Alexander Rastorguev and Kirill Radchenko. With the investigation of PMCs is also connected to the poisoning of the publisher of “media zones” Peter Verzilova.