Sudan accuses Libyan force of border attack, blames UAE for ‘aggression’

June 10, 2025 (KHARTOUM) – Sudan’s government on Tuesday accused Libyan forces under eastern commander Khalifa Haftar of participating in a border attack alongside the paramilitary RSF, calling it a “flagrant aggression” sponsored by the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

In separate statements, both the army and the Foreign Ministry condemned the attack in the strategic tri-border area connecting Sudan, Libya, and Egypt. They affirmed Sudan’s right to defend its territory.

Sudan’s army stated in a press release that the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), “supported by Khalifa Haftar’s Libyan forces,” attacked its positions in the tri-border area connecting Sudan, Egypt, and Libya, aiming to seize the area. It called the direct intervention by the Libyan faction an “unprecedented” violation of international law and part of a broader “international and regional conspiracy”.

For its part, Sudan’s Foreign Ministry called the assault a “dangerous escalation” sponsored by “the Abu Dhabi regime” and a serious threat to regional security. It claimed that Sudan’s border with Libya has served as a “main crossing for weapons and mercenaries… with UAE funding and coordination from Haftar’s forces”.

The accusations follow a June 6 incident where members of Haftar’s “Subul al-Salam” battalion advanced three kilometres into Sudanese territory, according to the report. A pro-Sudanese army armed group clashed with them near Mount Arkenu, killing two Libyan fighters and capturing two others. A second attack by another group from Kufra, Libya, followed, causing losses on the Sudanese side.

The army spokesperson said the goal of the joint RSF-Haftar attack was to “seize the area”. In contrast, pro-RSF media platforms released videos purporting to show their forces overrunning a Sudanese army position in the area.

Sudan’s Foreign Ministry blamed what it called the “leniency of the Security Council and Western powers” for encouraging the UAE and its regional allies to become directly involved in the fighting. It called on the United Nations, African Union, and Arab League to condemn the aggression.

The border region has long been a flashpoint and a key supply route for the RSF. Sudan has accused Haftar of facilitating military aid funded by the UAE, including by hosting RSF forces at bases like Ma’tan al-Sarra.

In recent months, both the army and the RSF have moved reinforcements into the vast desert region as they fight for control of supply lines.