The leader of Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) stated on Saturday that his organization was willing to collaborate with Egypt to facilitate the repatriation of Egyptian soldiers who had surrendered in the northern Sudanese town of Merowe.
After extensive combat broke out in Sudan, the RSF claimed on social media that Egyptian forces “surrendered” to them in the Merowe, which is located approximately midway between the capital of Khartoum and the Egyptian border.
The Egyptian armed forces have announced they will conduct joint exercises with their Sudanese counterparts and will cooperate with the Sudanese government to secure the protection of their personnel in Sudan.
The video depicts a group of individuals in army fatigues speaking Egyptian Arabic to members of the RSF, the largest paramilitary organization in Sudan while squatting on the ground.
The commander of the RSF, General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, also known as Hemedti, said that the Egyptian personnel was safe, nourished, and prepared to return.
In response to the RSF’s mobilization near Merowe’s military airport on Wednesday, the army issued a statement on Thursday labeling recent RSF operations illegal, bringing long-simmering disputes to the surface.
Egypt has always been concerned about changes in Sudan’s government. In addition to supporting Hemedti’s strategy for a transition to elections, it has recently advocated for dialogue with pro-military political parties.
