Nine foreigners arrested in Johannesburg over planned trip to Ukraine war
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on TimesLIVE
South Africa's Hawks arrested nine foreign nationals aged 20 to 26 at Johannesburg airport and a hotel in Bruma, suspected of intending to join the war in Ukraine from South Africa. They are to face charges under the Regulation of Foreign Military Assistance Act, according to spokesperson Katlego Mogale, quoted by TimesLIVE.
Nine foreign nationals, aged 20 to 26, were arrested at Johannesburg airport and a hotel in Bruma, a district of the city, as they were preparing to board flights to take part in the war between Russia and Ukraine, Hawks spokesperson Colonel Katlego Mogale, South Africa's elite police force, announced, TimesLIVE reports. The operation was carried out on Sunday night into Monday.
The suspects are to be prosecuted for violating the Regulation of Foreign Military Assistance Act, which governs the involvement of South Africans or people on South African soil in armed conflicts abroad. The investigation involves the Hawks' unit responsible for state crimes and its serious organised crime investigation team, as well as Interpol, other international agencies, South African criminal intelligence, the Gauteng police tracking team and several private security companies, according to Colonel Mogale.
The arrests come ten days after the publication of a study reporting that Africans had been recruited by Russia and are now prisoners in Ukraine. They also closely follow Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi's proposed appointment to head the South African Hawks, announced on 29 October.
