Sudan’s army on Tuesday accused forces loyal to eastern Libyan commander Khalifa Haftar of launching a cross-border attack in coordination with Sudanese paramilitaries.
This marks the first direct accusation of Libyan involvement in Sudan’s over two-year-long civil war.
Army spokesman Nabil Abdallah stated that the assault occurred Tuesday in the remote tri-border region where Sudan, Libya, and Egypt meet.
He alleged that Haftar’s troops, working with the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), attacked Sudanese border positions.
Abdallah described this as a “blatant aggression against Sudan” aimed at seizing control of the strategic area. There has been no immediate response from Haftar’s forces, and the RSF has not issued an official statement.
However, an RSF source told AFP that their fighters had taken control of the entrance to Jebel Uweinat, the mountainous tri-border area, on Monday.
The Sudanese army has pledged to “defend the country and its national sovereignty,” characterising the border clash as part of a wider foreign-backed conspiracy.
Haftar, who commands eastern Libya, is known to have strong ties with both the United Arab Emirates and Egypt.
While Egypt has supported Sudan’s army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan since the conflict began in April 2023, Khartoum has repeatedly accused the UAE of backing the RSF—claims the Emirati government denies.
Sudan’s army-aligned foreign ministry specifically accused the UAE of supporting the assault, labelling it a “dangerous escalation” and a “flagrant violation of international law.”
The ministry claimed, “Sudan’s border with Libya has long served as a major corridor for weapons and mercenaries supporting the terrorist militia, funded by the UAE and coordinated by Haftar’s forces and affiliated terrorist groups.”
Tensions between Sudan and the UAE escalated in May following the first-ever drone strikes on Port Sudan, leading to Sudan severing diplomatic ties and declaring the UAE an “aggressor state.”
Despite ongoing efforts by international mediators, fighting continues to escalate across Sudan’s western Darfur and southern Kordofan regions.
