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Russia's Nezavisimaya Gazeta: LNA General Command forces trained Sudan's RSF in urban warfare between February and April




Alwasat - Cairo Fri 28 Apr 2023, 12:34 PM
alwasat radio

According to a report released by Russian newspaper Nezavisimaya Gazeta on Wednesday, forces belonging to General Command of the Libyan National Army (LNA) trained Sudanese Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in urban warfare during the period between February and mid-April.

The newspaper quoted Libyan sources and analysts as saying that Marshal Khalifa Haftar also "transferred important intelligence information" to the RSF led by Mohamed Hamdan "Hemedti" Dagolo and reinforced fuel supplies to them from the port of Benghazi.

This comes after Britain's The Guardian, quoted unnamed sources as saying that Haftar provided Hemedti with information about the Sudanese army's intention to move against his forces days before the start of the fierce battles taking place in Sudan since April 15.

The Guardian added that Haftar's son, Siddiq, conveyed this information during a visit earlier this month to the Sudanese capital, Khartoum.

During that visit, Siddiq also obtained the position of Honorary President of the Sudanese Al-Merreikh Sports Club, which counts Hemedti as a benefactor, after a donation of $2 million.

Fuel and supplies

Sources told Nezavisimaya Gazeta that Haftar allegedly passed crucial intelligence to Hemedti, and boosted fuel supplies from the Libyan port of Benghazi.

The report added that Haftar's connection to Hemedti dates back to long before the fall of Sudan's former President Omar Al-Bashir but that in recent years, these relations have become much warmer, in all likelihood due to the fact that the RSF sent fighters to Libya to help the LNA.

Haftar and Hemedti are also suspected of collaborating on a number of highly lucrative smuggling operations. Adding that mid-level commanders established close personal ties, managing the transit of valuable illegal cargo between the two countries. The report noted that Sudan and Libya are located on both sides of major trafficking routes for people, drugs, and weapons.

Haftar denies supporting Hemedti's forces

On April 22, in an interview with Al-Arabiya, the Commander of the Sudanese Armed Forces General Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan, revealed that he held a phone conversation with Marshal Khalifa Haftar.

Al-Burhan added, "Haftar called me personally and said that these allegations are intended to drive discord and strife between neighbors".

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