The capture of El-Fasher, the capital of North Darfur, by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) militias has marked a significant turning point for the powers supporting the Sudanese government of General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan. Egypt, in particular, has responded by reinforcing its military presence along the border with Sudan and increasing logistical support for the Sudan Armed Forces, which are now working to counter the RSF offensive in Kordofan.
A joint Sudanese-Egyptian command center has been established in Kordofan to direct the army’s military operations. This move is strategically important for the defense of the federal capital Khartoum. The fall of El-Fasher has raised concerns for Egypt, as it separates Darfur, a vast western region of Sudan, from the rest of the country, increasing the risk of Sudan’s partition. Furthermore, the RSF could potentially threaten Khartoum and the bordering city of Omdurman via Kordofan.
The Egyptian government is keen to prevent the RSF, led by Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, from posing a threat to its southern border. The capture of El-Fasher has also given the RSF control over smuggling routes to Libya and Chad, increasing the risks to Egyptian security. In response, Turkey has been using armed drones to strike supply convoys traveling from the Libyan region of Cyrenaica and Chad toward the RSF strongholds in Darfur. These supplies are provided by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) via a logistics chain that runs through Bosaso in Somalia’s Puntland.
The conflict in Sudan has led to a complex web of alliances, with Egypt and the UAE, which are allies in the fight against political Islam and the Muslim Brotherhood, finding themselves on opposing sides. Meanwhile, Cairo and Ankara are cooperating in supporting General al-Burhan, whose government includes representatives of political Islam. The situation highlights the paradoxical nature of the proxy war being waged by various powers in the region.
The conflicts in Sudan and South Sudan will be a central topic of discussion at the upcoming Plenary Assembly of the Sudan’s Catholic Bishops’ Conference (SCBC), which will be attended by the bishops of Sudan and South Sudan. The assembly, scheduled to take place on November 10 in Malakal, South Sudan, will focus on the theme “Peace, healing wounds and promoting unity.” The meeting is expected to address the ongoing violence and instability in the region, and the bishops will likely call for renewed efforts to achieve peace and stability in Sudan and South Sudan.