KHARTOUM – The Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) have made serious allegations against Libyan warlord Khalifa Haftar, accusing him of orchestrating a joint cross-border attack with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on army positions in the volatile border region shared by Sudan, Libya, and Egypt. According to SAF spokesperson Brigadier General Nabil Abdullah, the attack marks the first confirmed involvement of Libyan fighters in Sudan’s civil war—a development that threatens to escalate an already devastating conflict.
In a statement issued earlier this week, Abdullah said that Haftar’s troops collaborated directly with RSF fighters in an assault aimed at consolidating control over strategic border areas. “This is a blatant aggression against Sudanese sovereignty,” Abdullah said, warning that it reflects a dangerous expansion of foreign involvement in Sudan’s internal war.
The accusation places renewed scrutiny on the United Arab Emirates (UAE), which the Sudanese Foreign Ministry openly accused of backing both Haftar and the RSF. In an official communiqué, the ministry labeled the incident a “dangerous escalation” and a “blatant violation of international law,” alleging that the Emirates are funneling weapons and mercenaries through Libya to strengthen RSF ranks.
“Sudan’s border with Libya has long served as a corridor for arms and mercenaries supporting the RSF—funded by the Emirates,” the ministry added, pointing to a growing body of intelligence indicating persistent Emirati involvement.
The UAE, which has repeatedly denied supporting the RSF, has yet to issue a formal response to the latest allegations. Neither the RSF nor Haftar’s Libyan National Army (LNA) has commented on the accusations.
The RSF, led by Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, also known as “Hemeti,” has been locked in a brutal war with the Sudanese military since April 2023, following the collapse of a fragile power-sharing arrangement. The conflict has pushed the country to the brink, displacing millions and leaving tens of thousands dead. The RSF has also been accused of widespread war crimes, including the use of sexual violence as a weapon of war.
In recent weeks, the conflict has intensified dramatically in Sudan’s western and southern regions, particularly in Darfur and Kordofan. The RSF is reported to be advancing plans to establish a parallel government, raising fears of a permanent territorial and political divide.
Fighting has also escalated in Nyala, the capital of South Darfur and an RSF stronghold. SAF forces have launched repeated air strikes on key military installations there, including the international airport. In Port Sudan, now functioning as the de facto capital of the SAF-aligned administration, authorities are bracing for further destabilization.
According to humanitarian organizations, the war has triggered one of the worst displacement crises in the world. Nearly 25 million Sudanese are facing severe food insecurity, according to the World Food Programme. Health systems are collapsing, infrastructure has been decimated, and both warring parties are accused of blocking aid.
With Haftar’s forces now allegedly entering the conflict, fears are growing that Sudan’s civil war could morph into a broader regional proxy war. Haftar, who maintains close ties with the UAE, Egypt, and Russia, has long played a destabilizing role in Libya and is now being accused of exporting his militias into Sudanese territory.
Analysts warn that the presence of foreign actors like Haftar and the suspected orchestration by the UAE could cement the fragmentation of Sudan, making reconciliation and national recovery even more elusive.
As of now, the international community has offered little more than condemnation, and diplomatic efforts have stalled. The SAF has called for a formal investigation into the attack and for urgent UN and AU intervention. With violence continuing to surge and foreign hands deepening their grip on the conflict, Sudan appears to be sinking further into a war without end.
