Large-scale military mobilizations have recently crossed the Libyan-Sudanese border, marking a significant escalation in the ongoing Sudanese conflict. Reports from Al Arabiya and multiple international outlets indicate that the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) moved sizable military columns, including foreign fighters, through the border region towards the strategic “triangle” area where Sudan, Libya, and Egypt converge.
This development comes amid intensifying fighting within Sudan, where the RSF and the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) have been locked in a brutal power struggle since April 2023. The RSF’s recent advances through the northwestern border not only suggest a tactical shift but also fuel growing concerns about the broader regionalization of the conflict, as foreign mercenaries are increasingly involved.
According to sources and video evidence, these convoys are believed to have originated from RSF-aligned bases in eastern Libya, with logistical support possibly facilitated by local actors and, as alleged by Sudanese authorities, through networks connected to Libyan commander Khalifa Haftar. While Haftar’s forces have denied direct involvement, Sudan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has accused Libya and the United Arab Emirates of sponsoring these cross-border operations, an allegation rejected by both governments.
The tri-border area has seen fierce battles in recent months, with both the RSF and SAF striving for territorial advantage. The SAF’s withdrawal from the region, described as a defensive measure, has reportedly enabled the RSF to consolidate control and secure new supply routes—raising fears among observers about increased arms trafficking, greater foreign intervention, and the potential spillover of violence into neighboring countries.
This latest movement is part of a broader pattern in which external support and porous borders have fueled Sudan’s war, which the United Nations now considers the world’s largest displacement and humanitarian crisis. International efforts to broker a ceasefire or restrict arms flows have so far failed to stem the violence, as new fronts open and the humanitarian toll continues to mount.
