Feb 9(Darfur24) A report sent to the UN Security Council by a team of experts said that the Darfur movements still get most of their funding and supplies from their connections in Libya, and revealed that the movements used foreign trainers without consulting the government.
Darfur movements, including the Sudan Liberation Movement led by Abdel Wahed Mohamed Nour, participated with the Libyan National Army, led by the UAE-backed retired officer Khalifa Haftar, against the internationally recognized Government of National Accord.
On February 11, 2021, the UN Security Council commissioned a team of experts to study the situation in Sudan, to put it in a report it submitted to the Council on January 24.
According to the report, a copy of which was sent to the Sudan Tribune website; The movements that signed the peace agreement do not intend to completely withdraw from Libya, because they still get most of their funding and supplies from their commitments there.
He pointed out that the absence of government support for the movements that signed the peace agreement made them rely on their presence in Libya to provide supplies for their forces in Darfur.
Rerprt added, “The Sudan Liberation Movement led by Mina Arko Minawi in southern Libya sends a convoy of trucks full of food and fuel every few weeks to the movement’s main camp in Umm Baru, in North Darfur”.
The report indicated that the Ministry of Finance paid one million dollars to each of the Sudan Liberation Movement, Justice and Equality, the Sudan Liberation Forces and the Sudanese Alliance, to cover their expenses in Sudan, in June 2021.
The group of experts stressed that the movements that signed the peace agreement retain most of their heavy weapons in Libya, because they do not know yet if they can trust the government of Sudan with regard to the implementation of the peace agreement.
However, the Group of Experts said that large numbers of the movements’ military forces have returned from Libya to Darfur, equipped with technical vehicles equipped with mounted heavy machine guns, armored vehicles, and some weapons.
Minawi forces returned in 250 cars, fighters from the Sudan Liberation Forces (SLF) with 200 cars, and Justice and Equality Movement forces in 50 cars, in addition to the return of fighters from the Sudan Liberation Movement – the Transitional Council in 40 cars.
The Sudan Liberation Movement deployed its forces in locations including Umm Baru, Kutum and El Fasher. Justice and Equality settled in Passau, while the Sudan Liberation Movement – Transitional Council gathered in Korma and Apulia; All of these areas are located in North Darfur state.
The fighters of these movements are expected to enter concentration camps, for the purpose of security arrangements; However, the process is still stalled due to funding reasons.
It seems that the Sudanese army and security forces do not want to include all fighters in their ranks, as some fighters are now being trained for the purpose of joining a joint force to maintain security in the troubled region.
The report said that the forces of the Sudan Liberation Assembly and the Sudan Liberation Movement benefited from military training provided by foreign trainers in Darfur; He pointed out that the official security forces confirmed this matter.
According to the report, “Investigations revealed that 9 trainers from South Africa, who were contracted independently, trained new recruits for the two movements in two training camps in North Darfur, from December 2020 to July 2021.”
The team of experts quoted the Sudanese army as saying that “the movements did not consult with the government about this training process, nor did they inform it of it.”
Since the signing of the peace agreement in October 2020, the movements began a major recruitment campaign that included students, by luring them into military ranks and integrating into the security forces.
The group of experts said that the non-signatory movements to the peace agreement still maintain large forces in Libya, including the Sudan Liberation Movement led by Abdel Wahed Mohamed Nour, of which a force of 100 vehicles is stationed in Jufra, led by Chief of Staff Yusef Ahmed Youssef.
The report added : “In April 2021, the Revolutionary Awakening Council split into two factions due to financial issues, one of which was led by Muhammad Bakhit and his forces were stationed in the Sirte region, and the other in the Jufra region led by Ahmed Samah.
On October 23, 2020, the Libyan parties signed a ceasefire agreement; Under it, all foreigners are required to leave the country. It is an agreement that finds international support.
The report stated that the Libyan National Army continued to make payments and provide logistical services to the Darfur movements, and Emirati officers also continued to coordinate with these movements to provide financial and logistical support.
The report pointed out that most of the armed groups, the immediate home, are working for the national army by securing areas and checkpoints, in exchange for payments provided by the UAE.
The report appealed the UN Security Council to urge the movements to withdraw their forces from foreign countries, with imposing sanctions on them if they did not comply with this request.