Sudan, Egypt military officials discuss border monitoring

October 11, 2017 (KHARTOUM) – Sudan’s Defence Minister Awad Ibn Ouf Wednesday discussed with the visiting Egyptian military intelligence chief Mohamed Faraj El Shahat, ways to control and monitor the joint border between the two countries.

El Shahat is in Khartoum, in line with an agreement reached by the two defence ministers providing to hold regular meetings for the joint military committee to promote cooperation and coordination on border control.

In May 2017, Sudan had accused Egypt of providing armoured vehicles to Darfur rebels in an attack carried out from Libya.

“During the meeting, the (Sudanese) Minister of Defence stressed the need to combat arms smuggling and human trafficking across the border between the two countries,” said a statement released in Khartoum.

Ibn Ouf further underscored the need to “establish points of transit and communication channels between the Sudanese armed forces and their Egyptian counterparts”.

The meeting was attended by Gen. Gamal al-Din Omer Mohamed Ibrahim, head of Sudanese military intelligence.

Foreign Minister Ibrahim Ghandour last June told reporters in Cairo that Sudan proposed to form joint border monitoring patrols to prevent human trafficking and protect the border.

Libya is a source of security concerns for both countries. Khartoum is worried by the presence of Darfur armed groups in eastern Libya as Cairo also seeks to prevent Jihadists in the troubled north African country from extending their activities inside Egypt.

Sudan and Chad agreed recently to enhance the joint patrols on the border with Libya after reports of the presence of Chadian opposition elements in Libya.

(ST)