RSF arrest human traffickers on Sudan’s borders

The Sudanese Rapid Support Forces (RSF) claimed to have arrested five leading members in human trafficking schemes in the triangle area between Sudan, Egypt and Chad.

The RSF, Sudan's biggest paramilitary force, also seized six of their vehicles which were loaded with various weapons, the official Sudanese news agency (Suna) reported today.

Gen. Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo (known as Hemeti) of the RSF said that his forces were able “to arrest gangs involved in human trafficking after chasing and fierce fighting”. The arrested are of various nationalities.

The RSF will play their role in combating of cross-border human trafficking and trafficking of arms and drugs, and gold smuggling crimes, Hemeti added. For 2017 the force will receive SDG3.2 billion ($476.6 million) from the 2017 budget.

Recently Enough Project said that the European Union's financial support to Sudan in mitigating and combating illegal migration will assist the RSF, which has a track record as counterinsurgency force against the armed movements in South Kordofan, raids in dozens of villages in Darfur, and intercepting illegal migrants.

The Union has denied in the past that its cooperation with Sudan would support the RSF. But last September commander Hemeti hit-out at the EU for not thanking his forces for stopping illegal migrants at the border with Libya, as they are fighting human trafficking between Sudan and Libya 'on behalf of Europe'.

'Host of Syrian refugees'

Meanwhile the acting Minister for Interior, Babikir Ahmed Digna, said that Sudan is among the leading African countries in hosting refugees – including Syrian nationals.

The minister received the Deputy head of the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) for the Middle0East, Tariq Kurdi, today. “We discussed ways to assist Sudan to cope with the influx of refugees into the country, particularly the Syrian nationals who have not received the assistance they deserve, though they keep on arriving to Sudan on a daily basis.”