Hemedti’s return to Addis Ababa on August 26 came as fighting intensified in Sudan’s Blue Nile region and his forces and allies moved closer to positions protecting the roads to Ed-Damazin, raising questions about Ethiopia’s role in the unfolding offensive.

Ethiopia, the UAE, and “Israel’s” alleged support and coordination with the RSF militia are transforming Sudan’s war from an internal power struggle into an increasingly regionalized conflict, with growing risks of a broader proxy war and direct repercussions for Ethiopia, Egypt, and the wider Horn of Africa.