Sudan’s army has accused eastern Libya commander Khalifa Haftar’s forces of launching an attack in border areas. Sudan has called it an act of blatant aggression against the country. Haftar forces denied involvement in the attack and accused a force affiliated with the Sudanese armed forces of attacking.
KHARTOUM JUNE 11: Sudan’s army has accused eastern Libya commander Khalifa Haftar’s forces of launching an attack in border areas with paramilitary RSF. The Sudanese government says the attack took place in the remote area where the borders of Sudan, Libya and Egypt meet.
Sudan has called it an act of blatant aggression against the country. This is the first time Libya has been accused of direct involvement in the Sudan war. Earlier, the Sudan Army accused Libya’s Haftar of supporting its rival RSF via arms delivery.
The war between Sudan’s army and the terrorist organisation Rapid Support Forces, whom the military also accused of involvement in the border attack, has drawn in multiple foreign countries, while international attempts at bringing about peace have so far failed.
Sudan had early in the war accused eastern Libya’s Haftar of supporting the RSF via weapons deliveries. It has long accused Haftar’s ally the United Arab Emirates of supporting the RSF as well, including via direct drone strikes last month.
Haftar forces denied involvement in the attack and accused a force affiliated with the Sudanese armed forces of attacking a military patrol while it was carrying out “its legitimate duty to secure the Libyan side of the border.”
Khalifa Haftar served in the Libyan Army under Muammar Gaddafi, and took part in the coup that brought Gaddafi to power in 1969. He has been the de facto ruler of the east of Libya since 2017, governing the region as a military dictatorship under the LNA.
In December 2023, Khalifa Haftar was accused of leading operations that intercepted and forcibly returned refugees trying to reach Europe. His militia, particularly the Tareq Bin Zeyad Brigade, reportedly engaged in brutal treatment of these refugees, including physical abuse and torture. They were also implicated in human trafficking, with allegations suggesting they profited from smuggling operations.
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