Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al Sisi met on Tuesday with head of the armed groups in eastern Libya Khalifa Haftar in Cairo, where the two leaders emphasised that stability in Sudan is closely linked to the national security of both Egypt and Libya.
Sisi and Haftar agreed on the importance of intensifying regional and international efforts to reach a peaceful settlement that preserves Sudan’s stability, sovereignty and territorial integrity.
A bloody conflict between Sudan national army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) began in April 2023 and has since killed thousands of people and displaced millions of others.
Egypt’s Foreign Minister Badr Abdel Ati earlier reaffirmed the country's support for a unified Sudan and warned that Egypt will not accept any attempt to partition its southern neighbour.
Sudan’s cohesion
In an interview with Aljazeera, Abdel Ati underscored support for the Sudanese armed forces, which he said continues to play an important part in Sudan’s cohesion.
“As for Egypt, its position is clear and firm that it will not accept under any justification the division of Sudan and that Sudan's unity and territorial integrity must be preserved,” the minister said.
“Without the presence of the Sudan national army there will be no unified Sudan. These national institutions have a very essential role and they must be protected and ensured to continue existing within a national state that gathers everyone without exclusion,” he added.
Sudan’s government early this week said it was prepared to engage in political dialogue to end the 20-month war, but that any settlement will require the RSF to disarm, withdraw from major cities and surrender security control to state authorities.
Fierce fighting
Fierce fighting has recently been witnessed in the three Kordofan states – North, West, and South – prompting tens of thousands of people to flee.
Of Sudan’s 18 states, the RSF controls all five states of the Darfur region in the west, while the army holds most areas of the remaining 13 states in the south, north, east, and center, including the capital, Khartoum. The paramilitary RSF carried out numerous attacks against civilians, most of whom were women and children.
