A battalion of the Egyptian Armed Forces surrendered to the Sudanese special forces

A battalion of the Egyptian Armed Forces has surrendered to the Sudanese Rapid Reaction Force (RSF) at the Merowe base, which is located about 330 km north of Khartoum. It is reported by RBC with reference to the statement of the Sudanese special forces in the social network.

In footage released by RSF, dozens of men in military uniforms sit on the ground surrounded by Sudanese commandos. The men in the recording speak Egyptian Arabic, Al Jazeera notes. Why the Egyptian troops were at the base has not yet been reported, but, the channel notes, Egyptian and Sudanese troops sometimes conducted joint exercises in the north of the country amid tense relations with Ethiopia.

The RFS also said that the Rapid Reaction Force had occupied several sites in the western city of El Fasher, including a communications corps, a medical corps, and the local airport.

The commandos claim to control several other Sudanese airports. Previously, they talked about taking the capital’s airport, but the country’s armed forces did not confirm this, stating ongoing fighting. During the clashes, a UN plane burned down there.

In addition, the plane of the Ukrainian airline SkyUp caught fire. More than 30 employees of the company are now in the country, they are in a “relatively safe place”. According to Liga.net, since the beginning of the year, SkyUp Airlines aircraft have been operating flights from Sudan to Egypt and Saudi Arabia.

Clashes between the army and the RSF began on 15 April. The special forces claimed to have occupied the presidential palace in Khartoum, but the army denied this and reported a strike on the bases and headquarters of the Rapid Reaction Force in the capital. UN Secretary-General António Guterres called on the parties to “immediately stop hostilities, restore calm and start dialogue to resolve the crisis.”