Mauritania distances itself from controversial visit of Sudan RSF adviser following public backlash

The Mauritanian Government has officially disassociated itself on May 1 from the controversial visit of Mohamed Al-Mukhtar,a senior political and legal adviser to the commander of Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF),clarifying that the Sudanese official entered the country on a strictly private mission.

During a press briefing held in Nouakchott,Minister of Culture and official Government spokesperson,El-Houssein Ould Meddou,underscored that Al-Mukhtar’s presence in Mauritania was not state-sanctioned. “The government did not invite the political adviser to the commander of Sudan’s RSF,” he stated unequivocally,adding that the visit was based on a “personal invitation” and lacked any formal diplomatic bearing.

Al-Mukhtar is reported to have participated in religious activities hosted by a spiritual institution under the Qadiriyya Sufi order’s general caliphate in West Africa. His attendance at a major religious ceremony last Friday in the village of Nimjatt,in the western Trarza region,has,however,triggered widespread condemnation across Mauritanian society.

The outcry stems from Al-Mukhtar’s alleged involvement in atrocities linked to Sudan’s brutal conflict. As a high-ranking figure within the RSF—an armed group widely accused of orchestrating grave human rights violations,including genocidal acts against civilians—the optics of his unopposed presence on Mauritanian soil has provoked moral and political consternation.

Public voices,including civil society actors and political commentators,have since mounted pressure on the government to expel Al-Mukhtar,with calls echoing across media platforms demanding accountability and moral clarity in light of Sudan’s ongoing humanitarian crisis.

The government’s distancing maneuver is seen as an attempt to contain reputational risk while reaffirming Mauritania’s official neutrality in the volatile Sudanese conflict. Still,the episode has spotlighted the intricate intersection of religion,diplomacy,and justice in West Africa’s fragile security architecture.