Sudan denies the presence of the Russian "Wagner" on its lands and its exploration for gold

Sudan denied accusations by Western diplomats of the presence of Russian "Wagner" elements on its territory and their illegal activities related to gold prospecting, considering this an attempt to interfere in its internal affairs and involve the country in the conflict in Ukraine.

The Sudanese Foreign Ministry denied the presence of the Russian paramilitary group "Wagner" in Sudan, after Western diplomats accused the group of "illegal activities" in the country.

"In Sudan, the Wagner Group engages in illegal activities related to gold mining," diplomats from Norway, Britain and the United States said in a joint article published by local media, which included criticism of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

"The group's activities threaten the proper administration and respect for the rule of law, which the Sudanese people have been fighting for since the revolution," the three Western diplomats added, referring to the popular uprising that led to the overthrow of former President Omar al-Bashir in April 2019.

The Sudanese Foreign Ministry responded in a statement on Tuesday, accusing the diplomats of "trying to interfere in Sudanese affairs and to bring the country into the conflict in Ukraine in an arbitrary and arbitrary manner."

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs denied "total and in detail the presence of the Russian security company Wagner in Sudan and its carrying out training, mining and other missions against the rule of law and governance."

During al-Bashir's rule, Russia was the only party supplying weapons to Khartoum in light of the international embargo imposed on it.

In 2017, Bashir and Russian President Vladimir Putin signed agreements to explore for gold and negotiated the construction of a naval base in the Red Sea, according to the European Council on Foreign Relations.

Russia has been accused for years of resorting to paramilitary special forces in conflict areas, such as Syria, Central Africa and Mali.

In July 2020, the US Treasury imposed sanctions on the Russian Yevgeny Prigozhin, who is considered responsible for the Wagner Group, accusing him of "exploiting the natural resources of Sudan for personal benefit."

The second official in the ruling military council, Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, known as Hemedti, went to Moscow on February 23, on the eve of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Thousands of Sudanese demonstrate every week to denounce the military's continued control of politics and the economy.