Sudan’s Foreign Ministry Warns African Nations Against Engaging with “Sumood” Group

Khartoum – Sudanhorizon
The Sudanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs has issued a strongly worded statement warning African nations against engaging with the “Sumood” group, describing it as a political arm of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) militia and accusing it of seeking a political lifeline for the militia amid ongoing military defeats.

In a press release (Ref: 25/56) issued Sunday, the ministry said it is closely monitoring the group’s movements across Africa, which it claims are backed by a regional power that supports the RSF. The ministry stated that “Sumood” lacks any popular legitimacy and accused it of representing only its members.

The statement went further to accuse the group of playing a direct role in creating the conditions that led to the current conflict in Sudan. According to the ministry, “Sumood” insisted on monopolizing civilian representation and managing the transitional period while excluding other political forces—moves that undermined efforts to establish a comprehensive national dialogue both before and after the war.

Additionally, the ministry condemned the group for aligning itself with the RSF’s demand to operate as a parallel army for at least ten years. It criticized the January 2024 agreement signed between the group and the militia, which the ministry said legitimized a so-called “parallel government” in areas occupied by the RSF.

The ministry also noted the group’s refusal to participate in the African Union’s August 2024 meeting aimed at uniting Sudanese civil and political forces. This refusal, the statement said, stemmed from “Sumood’s” continued desire to monopolize civilian representation and its rejection of recent positive AU initiatives. The ministry further accused the group of defending the RSF’s regional sponsor’s role in the conflict.

“For all these reasons,” the statement concluded, “the Government of Sudan rejects any engagement by African countries with this isolated group and the granting of platforms for it to speak.”

Sudan’s government also warned that it would evaluate its diplomatic relations with countries based on their support for Sudan’s national legitimacy and their stance alongside the Sudanese people in what it called their “struggle for dignity.”

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