Egypt has sharply escalated its military stance in the ongoing Sudanese civil war by deploying advanced Turkish-made Bayraktar Akinci drones to an airstrip at East Oweinat, near the Sudanese frontier, signaling deeper involvement in the conflict. Satellite imagery and officials familiar with the matter confirm the presence of Akinci unmanned combat aerial vehicles at the base, which has undergone significant infrastructure upgrades.
The move represents a departure from Cairo’s earlier policy of limited military support for the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) against the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). Analysts say Egypt perceives recent RSF territorial gains — including the capture of strategic areas in Darfur — as direct threats to its national security, prompting a more assertive posture.
Egypt’s leadership has framed the deployment as necessary to secure its long border and prevent conflict spillover, although officials have declined to publicly detail operations. The RSF has accused Egypt of engaging in airstrikes, assertions Cairo has neither confirmed nor denied. This escalation adds another complex layer to a conflict already influenced by multiple regional powers, including Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Qatar, each backing rival sides.
news as reported
