Sudan to send additional forces to Yemen

Sudan will send more troops to Yemen to participate in the Saudi-led military intervention “Desert Storm” against the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels, the Sudanese Ministry of Defence has confirmed.

The decision comes in the midst of the Gulf crisis and follows last week’s withdrawal of 1,000 Qatari soldiers from the coalition.

Sudanese newspaper, Al Saiha, quoted Sudan’s Minister of State for Defence, Major-General Ali Salim, as saying that Khartoum was preparing to send new contingents of forces and was committed to protecting the Saudi border in order to reinstate the officially recognised Yemeni government.

Read: The Yemen element within the Qatar-Gulf Crisis

Last month, Sudan’s Armed Forces (SAF) revealed that 21 Sudanese troops had been killed in fighting, including four officers on Yemen’s western coast in the battle of Midi port but SAF claim to have made considerable gains in the area.

The new contingent of troops will join the 1,000 SAF troops already stationed in Yemen. Last month, ahead of this announcement, Sudan’s Defence Minister, Awad Bin Auf, told news outlets that Sudan was prepared to do more to assist the Saudi coalition.

“There are 6,000 fighters from special forces, ground forces and elite troops ready to participate when requested by the leadership of the coalition. … Even if more troops and military contributions are needed, we are ready for any developments.”

In 2015, Saudi Arabia intervened in Yemen to return to power the official recognised government of President Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi and push back military advancements from the Houthis towards the south of the country.