Military Africa reports that recent disclosures from the U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) have unveiled a troubling development in the ongoing conflict in Sudan. The OFAC has revealed that the Wagner Group, a Russian paramilitary organization, has been supplying Sudan's Rapid Support Forces (RSF) with surface-to-air missiles to combat the Sudanese army. The exact type of missile system provided by the Wagner Group was not specified in the report, but it is likely to be a man-portable (MANPAD) or short-range air defense system.
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SA-7 Grail (Russian denomination: 9K32M Strela-2) appears as a probable type of MANPADS supplied by Wagner Group to the Rapid Support Forces (Picture source: Vitaly Kuzmin)

In response to these revelations, the U.S. Treasury Department has imposed sanctions on Ivan Alexandrovich Maslov, the leader of the Wagner Group in Mali, for collaborating with the group to undermine the stability of various African countries. The Treasury Department stated that the Wagner Group's provision of surface-to-air missiles to the RSF contributes to a prolonged armed conflict in Sudan, resulting in further chaos in the region.

Brian E. Nelson, the Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, expressed concerns about the Wagner Group's presence in Africa, referring to it as a destabilizing force for any country that allows the group's resources to enter its territory.

Earlier, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken voiced his concerns about Wagner's involvement in Sudan without presenting concrete evidence to support his statement.

The disclosure by OFAC regarding the Wagner Group's supply of surface-to-air missiles to the RSF raises serious concerns about the escalation of the conflict and its potential consequences. The inclusion of these missiles in the RSF's arsenal poses a direct threat to the Sudanese army, which heavily relies on air superiority in its operations. The acquisition of such advanced weaponry by the RSF indicates a significant shift in the balance of power, potentially resulting in increased casualties and further destabilization of the conflict.

The revelation of the Wagner Group's supply of surface-to-air missiles to the RSF has the potential to worsen the already fragile situation in Sudan. Recently, the Rapid Support Forces shot down a Russian-made MiG-29 fighter jet over Khartoum, the capital city.

According to a newsletter from April 28th by Africa Intelligence based in Paris, there were reports that Wagner attempted to transport AK-47 rifles and man-portable air defense systems (MANPADS) from the northern Central African Republic to Sudan. These reports relied on information from U.S. and French intelligence services. However, Yevgeny Prigozhin, the leader of Wagner, has repeatedly denied these accusations, stating that they do not operate in Sudan. These denials were in response to reports by Western diplomats in Khartoum in March 2022, alleging the company's involvement in illicit gold mining and other activities in Sudan.

Sudan's RSF has also refuted the reports of the Wagner Group's involvement in the country. The government has affirmed its commitment to maintaining peace and stability in Sudan and has called for an investigation into these reports.

Defense News May 2023