A comprehensive investigation utilizing satellite imagery, flight records, and intelligence sources has revealed Egypt’s covert military involvement in Sudan’s civil conflict. According to evidence compiled by The New York Times and Middle East Eye, Egypt has been conducting sustained drone operations from a clandestine airbase concealed within the vast East Oweinat agricultural reclamation project in Egypt’s western desert, approximately 65 kilometers from the Sudanese border.
The operations, ongoing for at least six months, represent a significant escalation in Egypt’s engagement, transitioning from diplomatic efforts to direct military action against the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). This paramilitary group, accused of perpetrating genocide and massacring thousands of civilians in North Darfur’s el-Fasher, has gained substantial territory against the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), which Cairo officially supports.
The conflict has evolved into a regional proxy war with complex international dimensions. The United Arab Emirates stands accused of facilitating support for the RSF, partially through Libyan eastern military commander Khalifa Haftar, who controls the strategic al-Kufra airbase. Conversely, Egypt has aligned with Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Qatar in backing the Sudanese government forces.
Recent weeks have witnessed unprecedented public tensions between traditional Gulf allies Saudi Arabia and the UAE, with Riyadh adopting an assertive stance against Emirati regional policies. Cairo has reportedly shared intelligence with Saudi Arabia regarding UAE activities in Yemen, where similar proxy dynamics have unfolded.
Ironically, the very base from which Egyptian drones target RSF positions has received foreign investment from major Emirati agricultural companies, highlighting the complex economic and geopolitical interconnections.
The RSF acknowledged in November that foreign-based drones were striking their forces and issued warnings of retaliation at “the appropriate time and place.” Meanwhile, humanitarian organization Doctors Without Borders (MSF) described el-Fasher as “largely destroyed” and “empty” following a January assessment, revealing the catastrophic human toll of the conflict.