SUDAN INSIGHT ALERT: Independent - Genocide, gold and foreign wars: Sudan’s most feared commander speaks out

17/12/2019: Independent - Genocide, gold and foreign wars: Sudan’s most feared commander speaks out, by Bel Trew

In an interview with the Independent, Himedti responded to allegations about RSF violence, business interests and power ambitions.

Calling for a partnership with the UK, Himedti said his priority is the success of the civilian government rather than ruling. 

Himedti dismissed allegations of the RSF’s culpability for the June 3 massacre as “systematic targeting by the old regime”, and called the RSF the “guardians of Darfur” and “protectors of the revolution.” Accepting that his forces were “not angels” and there “may have been crimes” in the past, Himedti insisted there was internal accountability, including an investigation into the massacre.

Himedti further denied that the RSF was used to pursue his interests in gold mining, and that the RSF profits from the war in Yemen by converting dollar payments made by Saudi Arabia and the UAE into Sudanese pounds, before paying salaries in local currency and pocketing the difference.