What's happened
On June 11, 2025, Sudan's army announced its withdrawal from a strategic border area with Egypt and Libya after clashes with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and forces loyal to Libyan commander Khalifa Haftar. This marks the first allegation of direct Libyan involvement in the ongoing Sudanese civil war, which has escalated since April 2023.
What's behind the headline?
Key Insights:
- Strategic Importance: The triangle area where the clashes occurred is crucial for trade and transport between northern and eastern Africa, containing valuable resources.
- Foreign Involvement: The allegations of Libyan forces supporting the RSF highlight the regional implications of the Sudanese conflict, with the UAE also accused of backing the RSF.
- Humanitarian Impact: The ongoing violence has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths and the displacement of 13 million people, exacerbating what the UN calls the world's worst humanitarian crisis.
- Future Outlook: As the RSF gains control over strategic areas, the SAF's ability to respond effectively may diminish, potentially leading to further destabilization in Sudan and the surrounding region.
What the papers say
According to The New Arab, the RSF claimed to have 'liberated the strategic triangle area,' while the Sudanese army described the attack as 'a blatant aggression against Sudan.' Al Jazeera reported that the Sudanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs accused the UAE of supporting the assault, calling it a 'dangerous escalation.' This reflects a broader narrative of foreign involvement in the conflict, with Sudan accusing Haftar's forces of coordinating attacks with the RSF. The situation remains fluid, with international mediators struggling to halt the violence, as noted by multiple sources.
How we got here
The conflict in Sudan has been ongoing since April 2023, primarily between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) led by Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and the RSF led by Mohamed Hamdan Daglo. Tensions have escalated with accusations of foreign involvement, particularly from Libya and the UAE, complicating the humanitarian crisis affecting millions.
Go deeper
- What are the implications of foreign involvement in Sudan?
- How has the humanitarian crisis evolved in Sudan?
- What strategies are being employed by the RSF?
More on these topics
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Sudan, officially the Republic of the Sudan, is a country in North-East Africa. It is bordered by Egypt to the north, Libya to the northwest, Chad to the west, the Central African Republic to the southwest, South Sudan to the south, Ethiopia to the southe
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Egypt, officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a transcontinental country spanning the northeast corner of Africa and southwest corner of Asia by a land bridge formed by the Sinai Peninsula.
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Field Marshal Khalifa Belqasim Haftar is a Libyan-American soldier and the commander of the Tobruk-based Libyan National Army. On 2 March 2015, he was appointed commander of the armed forces loyal to the elected legislative body, the Libyan House of Repre
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The Rapid Support Forces are Sudanese paramilitary forces operated by the Sudanese Government. The RSF grew out of, and is primarily composed of, the Janjaweed militias which fought on behalf of the Sudanese government during the War in Darfur, killing an
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Libya, officially the State of Libya, is a country in the Maghreb region in North Africa, bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to the east, Sudan to the southeast, Chad to the south, Niger to the southwest, Algeria to the west, and Tunisi
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The Sudanese Armed Forces are the military forces of the Republic of the Sudan. During the 39-month transition to democracy that started in September 2019, the August 2019 Draft Constitutional Declaration defines the Supreme Commander of the Sudanese Arme
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The United Arab Emirates, sometimes simply called the Emirates, is a sovereign state in Western Asia at the northeast end of the Arabian Peninsula on the Persian Gulf, bordering Oman to the east and Saudi Arabia to the south and west, as well as sharing m
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Lt. Gen. Abdel Fattah Abdelrahman al-Burhan is a Sudanese politician and Sudanese Army general who is currently serving as Chairman of the Sovereignty Council of Sudan, the country's collective transitional head of state.