French Newspaper: Regional Ambitions at the Heart of Sudan’s War
Source: Al-Quds Al-Arabi
Under the headline "In Sudan: Regional Ambitions at the Heart of the War," the French newspaper L’Humanité reported that since 2023, Sudanese people have become victims of a new civil war amid clashes between the armies of General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo. This conflict has led to thousands of civilian casualties and displaced eleven million people.
The French newspaper highlighted that this war is fueled by the economic and strategic interests of regional powers, including the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, and Iran. Earlier this month, an investigation by La Silla Vacía revealed that over 300 Colombian mercenaries were deployed to support the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). This foreign presence intensifies the conflict between al-Burhan’s army and Dagalos RSF, who show no mercy to civilians suffering from bombings, extrajudicial killings, sexual violence, and famine.
The events began on April 15, 2023, two years after the generals had cooperated following the coup against Omar al-Bashir and the ousting of a joint civilian government. The two generals are vying for power, fueled by international arms trafficking. Fathi Al-Fadl, spokesperson for the Sudanese Communist Party, commented, “This is no longer a local war but a proxy war involving various powers.”
Dozens of countries are now involved in supplying weapons to the warring parties. This summer, Amnesty International revealed the presence of arms originating from China, Russia, Serbia, Turkey, the UAE, and Yemen. Added to this are arms shipments from Egypt, Iran, and even Ukraine, along with the involvement of foreign fighters, including Colombians, according to L’Humanité.
Strategic Interests Driving the Conflict
Thierry Vircoulon, a researcher at IFRI’s Africa Center, was quoted in the newspaper: “Each camp has its own supply networks. Supplier nations, including Iran, the UAE, Egypt, and Russia, exert influence in the region, driven by Sudan’s geopolitical significance.” This country, bordered by seven African nations and with a long Red Sea coastline, holds immense strategic importance, including its access to the Suez Canal. Sudan is “at the center of attention” due to its location and natural wealth, including uranium and gold mines, as well as the resources of the Blue and White Niles, L’Humanité explained.
UAE and Iranian Support Documented
The clashes between the army and the RSF are sustained by external support that “prolongs the war without enabling victory,” said anthropologist Clément Deshayes. These interventions reveal vested interests, as the RSF benefits from UAE support in the form of anti-aircraft weapons, light artillery, and tanks delivered to conflict zones.
Sudanese activist Issam Othman told the newspaper, “The economic motive is to control the gold mines in Jebel Amer in North Darfur and oil reserves that finance the financial circles close to power in the UAE.”
This alliance is rooted in loyalty ties between Emirati and Saudi officers, forged during the Yemen war and reinforced by their shared opposition to the Muslim Brotherhood. The UAE is betting on an RSF victory over the Sudanese army, which it accuses of links to the Muslim Brotherhood, according to L’Humanité.
Additionally, General Khalifa Haftar, the ruler of Benghazi (eastern Libya), provides calculated support to the RSF through fuel supplies and facilitating one of the main arms routes from the UAE. The newspaper noted that the Am-Djarass airport on the Chadian border serves as another strategic point for these operations. General al-Burhan accused Chad of being a transit hub for Emirati weapons, especially after the UAE granted NDjamena a 500 million loan just two months ago.
Conversely, a Conflict Observatory report two months ago revealed a significant increase in Iranian weapons, including drones and artillery, on the ground. This alliance, reactivated by al-Burhan, dates back to the Omar al-Bashir era but was severed in 2016 under Emirati and Saudi pressure.
Egypt, another key ally of Sudan’s armed forces, has been accused by General Dagalo of carrying out airstrikes against his forces, according to L’Humanité. While Cairo calls for negotiations, it provides material support and deploys troops to secure oil and resource sites it partly depends on, all while seeking to mitigate the Sudanese refugee crisis.
Global Powers and Opportunistic Alignments
External powers support the warring sides according to their interests, with little regard for ideological considerations, L’Humanité noted. Russia exemplifies such opportunism, adjusting its alliances to suit its needs while resuming negotiations to establish a naval base in Port Sudan, now under army control. Initially, Russia supported the RSF while Ukraine backed the government, but dynamics have shifted: Moscow now supports al-Burhan’s camp, according to researcher Igor Delanoë.
This “balancing act” involves intelligence sharing and supplying small arms and ammunition. In November, Russia blocked a UN resolution that “threatened Sudan’s sovereignty,” seeking favor with the Sudanese government. Meanwhile, Wagner forces actively back the RSF, motivated by mineral exploitation ambitions.
The U.S. as a Diplomatic Player
The newspaper noted that Washington also plays its political and economic cards, driven by its war on terror—after Sudan’s removal from the U.S. sanctions blacklist during Donald Trump’s tenure—and by safeguarding Port Sudan from Russian and Turkish ambitions, as well as rapprochement with Israel.
The turning point came with a meeting between al-Burhan and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu four years ago, aiming to normalize relations despite challenges posed by Israel’s genocidal actions in Gaza and Sudanese solidarity with Palestinians. Informally, Israel is said to fund both camps, aligning its policy with its American ally to maintain influence.
Considering geopolitical factors moves the conflict beyond the simplistic narrative of two ambitious generals, the newspaper explained. Supply and support channels “prolong the war” and facilitate the emergence of militias that continue to grow in the country, fueled by arms smuggling.
