Egypt has ramped up military support for the Sudanese army against the RSF, emboldened in large part by Saudi Arabia’s confrontation with what it calls the “Abu Dhabi government militia,” and despite Cairo’s long-standing ties with MBZ.

The Pakistani arms deal, backed by Saudi Arabia, strengthens Sudan’s army and shifts the internal balance of power amid a wider Saudi–Emirati regional rivalry.

Egypt has publicly invoked its decades-old defense agreement with Sudan, signaling a strategic commitment to protect the state amid escalating war and regional power struggles.

In an interview with Al-Estiklal, Sudanese politician Mohamed Abu Zeid warns that the RSF threatens Sudan and its neighbors Libya, Algeria, and Egypt, blasts the UAE for backing the militia, and calls for urgent international action as the humanitarian crisis deepens.

After Syria’s liberation and the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime on December 8, 2024, Syrians stranded in Sudan suddenly find themselves facing a long-awaited possibility: going home.