South Sudan firmly denied on Friday that it is supporting any party in the ongoing Sudanese conflict, warning that such involvement could ignite a broader regional war.
The allegations stem from reports that the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have recruited South Sudanese nationals as mercenaries, raising suspicions within General Al-Burhan’s military that high-ranking officials in South Sudan, who share ethnic ties with these mercenaries and have business connections with the RSF, are implicated.
South Sudanese officials have vehemently rejected these claims, pointing to President Salva Kiir’s and his administration’s active role in mediating a peaceful resolution to the conflict.
Foreign Minister Ramadan Mohamed Abdallah Goch dismissed the accusations as “unfounded” and politically motivated, emphasizing that any concerns were addressed through formal diplomatic channels, not the media. “The government uses official mechanisms, not media, to address these unfounded allegations,” he said.
Presidential Adviser on National Security Affairs, Tut Gatluak, echoed this sentiment, labeling the allegations as “unfortunate” and reaffirming that South Sudan’s leadership has no interest in supporting any side in Sudan’s internal strife.
South Sudan, which gained independence from Sudan in 2011, remains closely linked economically, exporting its oil through Sudan and housing many South Sudanese nationals in the neighboring country. Gatluak expressed optimism that Sudanese leaders could de-escalate the situation without resorting to accusations against regional allies.
