Nyala: Rhino – Rapid Support Forces denied on Sunday allegations of forced recruitment, human trafficking, or bringing in foreign fighters to fight in its ranks, according to statements attributed to retired Chadian General Mohamed Nur Abdul Karim.

Rapid Support Forces added in a statement today: “We affirm that these allegations are completely unfounded and are not based on any reliable evidence. Our forces point out that they do not need fighters and do not resort to forced recruitment or the use of mercenaries, as they have a large pool of Sudanese nationals who have voluntarily joined their ranks to defend their just causes. Resorting to foreign mercenaries is a morally and legally reprehensible and unacceptable approach and has no connection whatsoever with the approach of our forces.

The statement said: “We realize that the attempt to pin these charges on our forces comes in the context of systematic misinformation campaigns to divert attention from the documented practices of the Burhan gang and the terrorist Muslim Brotherhood, which has been recruiting foreign mercenaries from known countries and throwing them into the furnace of conflict, in flagrant violation of international humanitarian law and the values of national sovereignty. Our forces call on the media to exercise accuracy and professionalism and not to be swayed by conflicting narratives that are used to fuel the media war.”

He continued: “We affirm our strict commitment to protecting civilians and respecting international humanitarian law, and our absolute rejection of any practices that violate human dignity or turn human beings into fuel for war”.