Sudan’s army announced it is on the verge of receiving weapons from Russia in exchange for allowing Moscow to establish a military fueling station on the Red Sea coast.
Sudan’s army is close to receiving weapons from Russia in exchange for allowing a military fueling station on the Red Sea coast.
Russia’s interest in establishing a naval base in Sudan poses concerns for Western countries.
The conflict in Sudan has drawn in foreign actors, disrupting plans to reestablish full relations with the country
This development poses a setback for the US, as its geopolitical rivals gain influence in a country ravaged by civil war, according to Bloomberg.
Assistant commander-in-chief Yasser Al-Atta revealed in an interview with the Gulf-based Al-Hadath TV channel that a military delegation will travel to Russia within a few days to finalize the agreement.
Authorities will get “vital weapons and munitions,” he said, describing the planned Russian outpost as “not exactly a military base.”
Moscow has long coveted a foothold on Sudan’s 530-mile (853-kilometer) coastline, and a final agreement would stoke Western concerns over Russia’s growing influence in Africa.
The announcement comes as Sudan’s army strives to regain swathes of territory lost to the Rapid Support Forces militia in a conflict that erupted in April 2023, which may have resulted in as many as 150,000 casualties.
A Russian naval base was first proposed during the reign of veteran Sudanese dictator Omar al-Bashir. After his ouster in a 2019 popular uprising, the US and other nations moved to reestablish full relations with Sudan, aiming to secure a new ally in a tumultuous region.
The ongoing brutal conflict has disrupted those plans, increasingly drawing in foreign actors and sparking concern in Western capitals. The United Arab Emirates has been accused of providing weapons to the RSF group fighting the army-allegations it denies.
