Commentary
Russian oligarch Yevgeny Prigozhin of the infamous Wagner mercenary group also owns a U.S.-sanctioned company called Meroe Gold. This company extracts gold from Sudan, supporting Russian President Vladimir Putin’s war in Ukraine.
Fighting broke out in Sudan on April 15 between two generals who led previous coup battles to consolidate control over the country. As of April 18, 180 people have been killed and over 1,800 wounded, with civilians making up a large share of the casualties. The combatants have been accused of shelling hospitals and killing aid workers.
The two main players in the conflict are Sudan’s military leader, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, commander of the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The two were once compatriots and instrumental in the 2019 overthrow of Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir, as well as the 2021 coup that led to the establishment of a military government. Now, the two are fighting to see who will gain overall control of the country….