Gen. Mohamed Hamdan “Hemedti” Dagalo the leader of Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) that is challenging the country’s military over contentious differences met with President Paul Kagame in the capital Kigali as part of marathon trip to the EAC in search of solutions to challenges back home.
“I was honored to meet with His Excellency the President of the Republic of Rwanda Paul Kagame as part of our meetings with a number of leaders of brotherly and friendly countries. I discussed with His Excellency the exceptional conditions that Sudan is witnessing due to the war and the resulting negative effects that have doubled the suffering of our people,” Gen. Dagalo said on Friday.
“I provided His Excellency with a detailed explanation of the circumstances of the outbreak of the April 15 war, which was ignited by the leaders of the former regime with the help of their members in the armed forces, with the aim of controlling power and blocking the path to the democratic transformation sought by the Sudanese people.”
“We look with admiration at this great country, which has become an inspiration for many people who aspire to rise from the ashes of wars and conflicts towards peace, development, progress and prosperity,” he said adding: “We look forward to Rwanda’s efforts, by virtue of its distinguished experience and the wisdom of its leadership, to help our people overcome this crisis and restore security and stability.”
Earlier this week Gen. Dagalo agreed to a ceasefire proposed by civilian groups, contingent on the military also agreeing.
However, Sudan’s army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan said on Friday that he rejects the latest peace efforts vowing to continue a nine-month war between the military and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
Al-Burhan has criticised leaders of African countries including South Africa, Ethiopia and Kenya who received Dagalo as a statesman during visits this week and Sudanese politicians who met him in Ethiopia.
The Intergovernmental Authority on Development, an African trade bloc, got al-Burhan and Dagalo last month to agree to an in-person meeting.
“We have no reconciliation with them, we have no agreement with them,” al-Burhan, who is also Sudan’s head of state, told troops gathered in Port Sudan in video released by his office on Friday.
