Russian Wagner Group’s Role in Sudan’s Power Struggle and Gold Industry

What happened: The Wagner Group, a Russian paramilitary organization, has been implicated in Sudan’s recent conflict, operating a gold processing plant and maintaining strong ties with General Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo (Hemedti) and his Rapid Support Forces (RSF) paramilitary group. The group has been involved in Sudan since 2017 and has continued to support Hemedti following the fall of former President Omar al-Bashir in 2019. With the military coup, Wagner’s collaboration with Hemedti has intensified, including allegations of missile supplies to the RSF.

“This corrupt scheme involving the Wagner Group and the military government has been supervised by Hemedti,” says Ahmed Abdallah, a Sudanese human rights campaigner in exile in Germany.

Why it matters: The involvement of the Wagner Group in both Sudan’s gold industry and the ongoing conflict raises concerns about the potential impact on regional stability and the group’s true intentions in the country. The Russian paramilitary group’s influence on Sudan’s power dynamics and their active engagement in the gold trade may have long-lasting repercussions on the nation’s economy and security.

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