Sudan’s shifts raise alarm in Egypt: How Cairo monitors the coup on its southern border

The recent takeover of El Fasher in western Sudan by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has sparked deep concern about the already dire humanitarian situation and the country’s uncertain future, as national unity faces a serious threat, the Russian news channel RT reported.

By taking control of El Fasher, the RSF has expanded its influence across western Sudan, while the army maintains control in the east. This has effectively divided the country into two zones of power, placing Sudan at a crossroads and creating a more volatile situation along Egypt’s southern border.

Experts warn that the presence of the Rapid Support Forces, led by General Hemedti, in the border triangle between Sudan and Egypt poses a serious security threat, as it could open new routes for smuggling and the movement of extremist groups, particularly across the African Sahel region.

Amid these significant developments, analysts describe the recent events as a “strategic turning point”, suggesting that Sudan may be heading towards a “de facto partition”.

They also believe Cairo is likely to set new red lines regarding Hemedti’s forces, especially concerning any moves towards division or encroachment on Egyptian borders.

Major General Mohamed Abdel Wahid, an Egyptian national security expert, said that El Fasher was not only a key military base for the Sudanese army but also a symbol of the last stronghold of government authority in Darfur, and a link between the country’s eastern and western regions. Its fall to the RSF, he said, marks a “strategic turning point” in the conflict.