Mekelle፡Telaviv, Nairobi, Pretoria, London, (Tigray Herald).
Sudan’s al-Burhan Orders Strategic Withdrawal From Border Zones Amid Escalating Regional Tensions
By Tessema Nadew
Sudan’s military leader, Lieutenant General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, has announced what he described as a “strategic repositioning” of Sudanese armed forces from three key border zones where Sudan converges with Libya and Egypt.
In a televised address and follow-up statements, al-Burhan framed the withdrawal not as a retreat, but as a deliberate shift to counter mounting threats from foreign-backed militias and to reinforce Sudan’s sovereignty amid a chaotic regional power struggle. The Sudanese Armed Forces, he said, have faced “coordinated military pressure” in the remote but geopolitically vital triangle connecting the three nations.
“Forces backed by the United Arab Emirates have launched attacks on our soil,” al-Burhan claimed. “In response, we opted for a strategic military realignment to protect national interests and avoid further unnecessary bloodshed.”
The area at the centre of the dispute, Al Uwainat, is a rugged, mountainous terrain spanning roughly 1,500 square kilometres. Known for its strategic location, the region has long served as a corridor for both human migration and military maneuvering. Sudanese forces had maintained outposts in the region but have now vacated them in favour of repositioning to stronger defensive lines.
According to the Sudanese military command, the decision comes amid intensifying clashes with forces loyal to Libyan warlord General Khalifa Haftar. Haftar’s militia, aligned with the eastern Libyan government and reportedly supported by external actors, has pushed deeper into contested areas in recent months.
The military withdrawal, al-Burhan insists, is a necessary measure. “We are acting to pre-empt encirclement, preserve our forces, and strengthen control over more defensible positions,” he said. “This is a textbook application of strategic redeployment.”
The Sudanese leadership claims the region has seen a surge in activity by regional proxies, particularly groups supported by Gulf states, including the UAE. Analysts say Sudan’s current internal conflict with paramilitary group Rapid Support Forces (RSF) locked in a brutal war with the regular army has left border zones increasingly vulnerable to foreign interference and transnational armed groups.
Sudan’s Sovereign Council, chaired by al-Burhan, maintains that controlling Al Uwainat is also key to combatting cross-border smuggling and human trafficking. The region has become a major conduit for migrants and refugees seeking passage through Libya to Europe, with many routed through the Libyan town of Kufra, near the disputed area.
“The illegal movement of people, arms, and contraband through this corridor is a national security risk,” a senior Sudanese officer told Radio Dabanga, a station with correspondents across Sudan’s conflict zones. “We are making a calculated move to reclaim control militarily and morally.”
The recent escalation also underscores the growing entanglement of Sudan’s civil war with broader geopolitical rivalries. While al-Burhan accuses the UAE of supporting attacks on Sudanese positions, the Emirati government has yet to respond directly. Abu Dhabi, like other Gulf powers, has been accused of backing rival factions in Sudan for strategic influence over Red Sea access and regional trade routes.
Meanwhile, in eastern Libya, General Haftar’s forces bolstered by years of foreign military support and Russian Wagner Group mercenaries are seizing new ground in lawless desert borderlands, often outside the control of Tripoli’s internationally recognised government.
Observers warn that the militarisation of Al Uwainat could further destabilise an already volatile region, with implications not only for Sudan’s fragile sovereignty but also for migration flows, arms trafficking, and regional stability stretching from the Sahel to the Nile.
As Sudan’s war drags on with no end in sight, the army’s repositioning may offer short-term tactical relief, but the strategic chessboard remains fraught with peril.
“We are not giving up,” al-Burhan said defiantly. “We are manoeuvring for the future of Sudan.”
Source፡Radio Dogai.
About the Author: Tessema Nadew is a political analyst and advocate focusing on conflict resolution, peace-building, and justice in the Horn of Africa.
