The home of Zimbabwe’s ambassador to Sudan, Hilda Mafudze, was ransacked by insurgents who stole valuables belonging to the diplomat.
In a statement, Sudan’s foreign ministry condemned the attack and urged the international community to speak out against the attack. Reads the statement:
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemns in the strongest terms the rapid support militia’s storming of the embassy and the home of the Zimbabwean ambassador, and the theft of valuables, in flagrant violation of international norms and laws concerned with the sanctity and protection of the headquarters and property of diplomatic missions.
The Ministry calls on the international community to condemn the terrorist and criminal behaviour of the militia.
It is, however, not clear if the Zimbabwean diplomat was at home or she was away.
ZimLive reported that Mafudze, a former opposition MDC official, was seconded to Sudan by then President Robert Mugabe after she was recommended to the position by then Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai during Government of National Unity.
Sudan is in the middle of a civil war pitting regular soldiers and members of a paramilitary force – Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
The deadly clashes are a direct result of a vicious power struggle within the country’s military leadership, reported BBC News.
Since a coup in October 2021, Sudan has been run by a council of generals, led by Gen Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, the head of the armed forces and the de facto president, and his deputy and leader of the RSF, Gen Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, better known as Hemedti.
The two men have disagreed on the direction the country is going in and the proposed move towards civilian rule.
One of the main sticking points, according to BBC, is the plan to include the 100 000-strong RSF in the army and who would then lead the new force.
The RSF was formed in 2013 and has intervened in conflicts in Yemen and Libya and is accused of brutality.
The head of the RSF, Gen Dagalo, has also developed economic interests including controlling some of Sudan’s gold mines.
On one hand, Gen Dagalo has said that the 2021 coup was a mistake and has reportedly tried to present himself and the RSF as being on the side of the people.
On the other hand, Gen Burhan has said the army will only fully hand over power to an elected government.
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