Sudan Conflict Escalates as Egypt Boosts Military Support

The Rapid Support Forces’ (RSF) capture of El‑Fasher, the capital of North Darfur, marks a pivotal shift for the powers backing General Abdel Fattah al‑Burhan’s Sudanese government. In response, Egypt has bolstered its military presence along the Sudanese border and increased logistical support for the Sudan Armed Forces, which are now confronting the RSF offensive in Kordofan. A joint Sudanese‑Egyptian command centre has been set up in Kordofan to coordinate army operations, a move that is strategically crucial for defending the federal capital, Khartoum.

The fall of El‑Fasher worries Egypt because it isolates Darfur—a vast western region—from the rest of Sudan, heightening the risk of the country’s partition. Moreover, the RSF could threaten Khartoum and the neighboring city of Omdurman via Kordofan. The Egyptian government is determined to prevent the RSF, led by Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, from endangering its southern border. Control of smuggling routes to Libya and Chad now lies with the RSF, further compromising Egyptian security.

Turkey has responded by deploying armed drones to strike supply convoys moving from Libya’s Cyrenaica region and Chad toward RSF strongholds in Darfur. These supplies are funneled by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) through a logistics chain that runs via Bosaso in Somalia’s Puntland. The Sudan conflict has thus created a tangled web of alliances: Egypt and the UAE—traditional allies in the fight against political Islam and the Muslim Brotherhood—find themselves on opposite sides, while Cairo and Ankara cooperate in supporting General al‑Burhan, whose government includes representatives of political Islam. This paradox underscores the proxy nature of the regional war.

The ongoing violence and instability in Sudan and South Sudan will be a central topic at the upcoming Plenary Assembly of the Sudan’s Catholic Bishops’ Conference (SCBC). Bishops from both countries will gather on 10 November in Malakal, South Sudan, under the theme “Peace, healing wounds and promoting unity.” The assembly is expected to address the regional turmoil and call for renewed efforts to achieve peace and stability in both Sudan and South Sudan.