The leader of Sudan's paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, also known as Hemedti, announced on Saturday that his forces are prepared to collaborate with Egypt to ensure the safe return of Egyptian troops who had surrendered to the RSF in the northern Sudanese town of Merowe.
Egyptian security sources confirmed that officials had communicated with the Egyptian unit's leader to ensure their safety. The RSF had released a video depicting Egyptian troops who had "surrendered" to them in Merowe, following clashes between the RSF and the Sudanese army.
Egypt's military stated that their forces were in Sudan for joint exercises with Sudanese counterparts and that they were coordinating with Sudanese authorities to guarantee the troops' safety. The video featured several men dressed in military uniforms conversing with RSF members in an Egyptian Arabic dialect.
RSF leader General Dagalo informed Sky News Arabia TV that the Egyptian soldiers were safe, and that the RSF had supplied them with food and water, in addition to being prepared to assist in their repatriation.
The RSF's mobilization towards the military airport in Merowe on Wednesday prompted an army statement the following day that denounced the RSF's recent actions as unlawful, exposing deep-seated disagreements between the factions.
Egypt has historically been cautious about political shifts in Sudan, expressing strong support for the Sudanese army and promoting negotiations with pro-army political parties. This approach runs parallel to a plan for a transition towards elections supported by Hemedti.
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi received a call from UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, during which al-Sisi expressed concern for the situation in Sudan and advocated for dialogue, as stated by a presidential release.
Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry spoke with EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell to coordinate efforts on the events unfolding in Sudan. Shoukry discussed Egypt's initiatives to halt the violence, which Borrell affirmed the EU supports, according to the foreign ministry's statement.
