Egypt Emerges as Key Player in Limiting Wagner Group's Influence in Libya and Sudan"

The United States has increased pressure on its Middle Eastern allies to expel the Wagner Group from Libya and Sudan, where the military contractor has been expanding in recent years. The group, owned by Russian oligarch Yevgeny Prigozhin, is considered a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin and the Pentagon describes it as a surrogate for the Russian Defense Ministry. The Biden administration has been working with Egypt and the UAE to end ties with the group. The Wagner Group has deployed thousands of operatives in African and Middle Eastern countries, including Libya and Sudan, to support Russia's interests in resource-rich regions. The group has been accused of committing war crimes and crimes against humanity in Mali, where it is fighting alongside government forces.

Wagner's role in Libya and Sudan was a focus of recent talks between CIA Director William Burns and officials in Egypt and Libya. Secretary of State Antony Blinken also discussed the group with President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi in Cairo. Burns expressed concern about Wagner's growing influence in Africa and called for el-Sissi's government to help end dealings with the group. The Wagner Group and its founder have been under U.S. sanctions since 2017, and the Biden administration has imposed new export restrictions to restrict its access to technology and supplies.

Leaders in Sudan have received repeated U.S. messages about Wagner's influence in recent months, through Egypt and Gulf states. Abbas Kamel, the director of Egypt's Intelligence Directorate Agency, urged the head of Sudan's ruling sovereign council to address Wagner's use of Sudan as a base for operations in neighboring countries. The group has been providing military training, intelligence training, surveillance, and protection of sites and top officials in Sudan since 2017. Sudanese military leaders have reportedly given Wagner control of gold mines in return.

Wagner has been operating in Sudan, providing military and intelligence training, as well as surveillance and protection of sites and top officials. The group has received mining rights through front companies with ties to Sudan's powerful military and the Rapid Support Forces. Its activities are centered in gold-rich areas controlled by the RSF. The U.S. Department of Treasury has sanctioned two companies for acting as fronts for Wagner's mining activities.

Wagner mercenaries are not operating in a combat role in Sudan, officials said. The group has dozens of operatives in the country and provides military and intelligence training, as well as surveillance and protection of sites and top officials. Wagner's activities in Sudan are centered in gold-rich areas controlled by the Rapid Support Forces. The U.S. has expressed concerns about Wagner's growing influence in the country and called on Sudanese leaders to end their dealings with the group.

In conclusion, the United States is increasing pressure on its Middle Eastern allies to expel the Wagner Group from Libya and Sudan. The Biden administration is making a broad push against the mercenary group, which has been accused of committing war crimes and crimes against humanity. Wagner's activities in Sudan are centered in gold-rich areas controlled by the Rapid Support Forces and the U.S. has expressed concerns about its growing influence in the country. The U.S. has imposed sanctions and export restrictions on the Wagner Group to restrict its access to technology and supplies.