NAIROBI, Kenya Jun 24 – The Sudanese government has called on Kenya to immediately cease any form of assistance to the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group it has labeled a “terrorist militia” that has been sanctioned by the US over human rights violations.
In a statement released on Monday, Sudan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs alleged that the Kenyan government has been actively aiding the RSF, which is currently locked in a brutal conflict with the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF).
Sudan further urged Kenya to recommit to the principle of non-interference in the internal affairs of sovereign nations.
“Sudan once again calls on Kenya to honour its obligations under the Charter of the United Nations, the Constitutive Act of the AU, and other regional organizations, and to cease all forms of support to the terrorist RSF militia and recommit itself to the principle of non-interference in other states’ internal affairs,” Khartoum said in a statement.
The statement followed remarks made by Kenya’s Government Spokesperson Isaac Mwaura on June 16, in which he acknowledged reports that the United Arab Emirates was backing the RSF in a bid to secure access to Sudan’s natural resources and establish a presence along the Red Sea.
Khartoum described Mwaura’s comments as a public admission of a wider plot.
“What is more alarming is Kenya’s own involvement in supporting the terrorist Janjaweed militia,” the statement from Sudan’s Foreign Ministry read.
“Last month, the Sudanese Armed Forces uncovered weapons and ammunition bearing Kenyan labels in RSF caches in Khartoum.”
Khartoum also accused Kenya of serving as a conduit for military supplies from the UAE to the RSF.
It criticized Nairobi for failing to explain these alleged violations of international law and instead attempting to justify foreign support for the militia.
The Sudanese government warned that such actions undermine regional stability and threaten the territorial integrity of African states.
Khartoum once again condemned what it described as Kenya’s promotion of a parallel administration announced by the RSF, dubbed the “Government of Peace,” calling it a dangerous move toward the partition of Sudan.
“The African Union Peace and Security Council has been clear that member states must refrain from supporting any such attempts,” the statement noted.
In response, Kenya has categorically denied any involvement in the conflict.
In a separate statement on Jun 16, Government Spokesperson Mwaura dismissed Sudan’s allegations as “false and misleading,” maintaining that Nairobi’s engagement with the warring parties is strictly within the framework of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) peace process.
“Kenya remains committed to building peace in the region and does not supply arms to any faction in Sudan,” Mwaura said.
He reiterated that Kenya’s foreign policy is guided by respect for sovereignty and non-interference, as enshrined in the charters of the United Nations and the African Union.
Mwaura also noted Kenya’s $2 million (approximately Sh258.6 million) pledge in humanitarian aid to Sudan, reaffirming Nairobi’s commitment to alleviating the crisis through peaceful and diplomatic means.
The conflict in Sudan, now in its second year, has pitted General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan’s Sudanese Armed Forces against the RSF, led by Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, widely known as Hemedti.
The power struggle has triggered one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises, with over 25 million people in urgent need of assistance and millions displaced.
In January 2025, the United States formally accused the RSF and its allied militias of committing acts of genocide in the Darfur region, intensifying global scrutiny of the group’s conduct.
While Nairobi hosted RSF representatives in February in a move criticized by Khartoum and parts of the international community, Kenya later clarified that the meeting was part of broader diplomatic efforts to resolve the conflict.
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