Key points:
- Sudan protests Uganda hosting RSF commander
- Khartoum accuses Kampala of supporting rebels
- Visit heightens regional diplomatic tensions
SUDAN has condemned Uganda after President Yoweri Museveni received Rapid Support Forces (RSF) commander Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo in Entebbe, accusing Kampala of undermining regional stability and disregarding alleged atrocities linked to the country’s ongoing war.
Diplomatic tensions flare after Entebbe meeting
In a statement issued Sunday, Sudan’s Foreign Ministry described Uganda’s reception of the RSF leader as ‘a blatant disregard for the crimes of genocide’, arguing that the meeting contradicts principles of regional cooperation while civilians continue to suffer from violence.
Dagalo met Museveni at the Ugandan presidential palace in Entebbe, marking a rare public appearance by the paramilitary commander amid Sudan’s protracted conflict.
Khartoum said the engagement represented ‘an unprecedented step that contradicts Uganda’s commitments to good neighbourliness’, warning that diplomatic outreach to the RSF risks legitimising a force accused of widespread abuses.
The ministry added that alleged atrocities committed by the RSF have been documented by international observers and condemned by regional organisations including the African Union.
Sudan accuses Uganda of backing rebels
Sudan’s government maintains it is the country’s sole legitimate authority recognised internationally and continues to classify the RSF as a rebel militia fighting against the state.
According to the Foreign Ministry, hosting Dagalo disregards ‘the most basic human values’ and ignores the scale of crimes committed against Sudanese civilians during the conflict.
Officials argued that the meeting violates norms governing relations among member states of regional and international organisations and ‘constitutes support for rebel forces against a legitimate, internationally recognised government’.
While acknowledging Uganda’s sovereign right to conduct diplomatic relations, Khartoum said the move signals what it described as a shift in Uganda’s policy towards Sudan.
The ministry accused Kampala of ‘supporting the rebels and acting against the unity, security, and safety of the Sudanese people’, adding that Sudan would oppose any attempt to use neighbouring territories to aid armed groups.
It further stressed that the Sudanese government ‘will not allow its territory or the territory of neighbouring countries to be used to support rebel forces against the state’.
Uganda yet to respond
Ugandan authorities had not issued an immediate public response to Sudan’s accusations at the time of publication.
Dagalo’s visit marked his first confirmed appearance since September, when he travelled to Nyala, the capital of South Darfur, an area heavily affected by fighting between rival forces.
Widely known as ‘Hemedti’, Dagalo has been a central figure in Sudan’s conflict, which erupted in April 2023 following a power struggle between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the RSF.
Conflict deepens humanitarian crisis
The war has devastated large parts of Sudan, triggering mass displacement and worsening humanitarian conditions nationwide.
United Nations reports estimate that tens of thousands of people have been killed since fighting began, while approximately 13 million people have been displaced, creating one of the world’s most severe humanitarian crises.
Aid agencies continue to warn of growing food insecurity, collapsing healthcare services and restricted humanitarian access in several regions.
The diplomatic dispute between Sudan and Uganda highlights the widening regional implications of the conflict, as neighbouring countries balance mediation roles with political engagement involving competing actors.
With no ceasefire in sight, Sudan’s latest protest underscores how international diplomatic interactions linked to the conflict are increasingly shaping both regional politics and prospects for peace.
