Sudan’s RSF claims control of key border zone with Libya and Egypt

(UPSC Prelims – International Affairs; GS-II – International Relations, Security Issues)

📍 What Happened?

• Sudan’s RSF (Rapid Support Forces) claimed control over a strategic border area near Libya and Egypt.

• The Sudanese military had evacuated the zone and accused Libyan warlord Khalifa Hifter’s forces of supporting RSF offensives.

🌍 Geopolitical Significance:

• The tri-border zone (Sudan–Libya–Egypt) is critical for:

  • Trade and smuggling routes

  • Strategic military access

  • Migration control and cross-border influence

🧨 Background Context:

• Sudan is in the midst of a civil war (since April 2023) between:

  • RSF led by Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo ("Hemedti")

  • Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) led by Abdel Fattah al-Burhan

• The conflict has destabilized the region, with external actors allegedly influencing the battlefield.

UPSC Relevance:

Prelims:

• Location of Sudan, Libya, and Egypt on the map

• RSF = Paramilitary group in Sudan