The Sudanese army has withdrawn from the Libya-Egypt-Sudan border triangle, a day after accusing forces loyal to eastern Libyan commander Khalifa Haftar of launching a cross-border attack in coordination with Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
The army announced the retreat on Wednesday, describing it as part of a “defensive arrangement to repel aggression.” No further details were provided.
The contested area, near the war-torn city of al-Fashir in North Darfur, has been patrolled by Sudanese soldiers, many of whom are members of former rebel groups now aligned with the military. The Sudanese army has long accused Haftar’s forces and the RSF of using the border corridor for illicit arms shipments.
On Tuesday, Haftar’s Libyan National Army (LNA) denied involvement in any attack and claimed instead that a force allied with the Sudanese army had attacked a Libyan patrol conducting border security operations.
Sudan has also accused the United Arab Emirates — a known supporter of Haftar — of backing the RSF through weapons deliveries, an allegation the UAE has consistently denied. Egypt, a key regional player, supports both the Sudanese military and Haftar’s LNA.
The border triangle has become a flashpoint in Sudan’s ongoing civil war, as the army battles the RSF in a conflict that has drawn in multiple regional actors and further destabilized the region.
