Sudan Crisis Mirrors “Proxy War”; Which Foreign Actors Are Involved?
Since fighting erupted between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in April 2023, the Sudan crisis has entered its third year. This conflict is not merely an internal struggle between opponents and supporters of the regime; it has become a battleground involving more than 15 regional and international countries. By November 2025, reports indicate over 200,000 deaths and approximately 15 million displaced people. The risk of escalating famine threatens up to 2.5 million lives under some scenarios.
This situation clearly shows that Sudan has become a stage for a foreign proxy war-actors engaged pursue geopolitical, security, and economic objectives rather than solely seeking internal peace. This report examines the roles of foreign players in the Sudan crisis.
United Arab Emirates
One of the most prominent backers of the RSF – responsible recently for widespread killings in El Fasher, Darfur – is the UAE. since 2023,Abu Dhabi has supplied advanced weapons such as Kornet missiles,Chinese drones,and armored vehicles via routes through Chad and Uganda. Alongside military support, collaborations to control Sudan’s gold mines represent another dimension of UAE involvement. Projects like Abu Ammama port on the Red Sea reveal Abu Dhabi’s ambition to dominate maritime routes and mineral wealth.
Some reports estimate that smuggled gold from sudan into Dubai amounts to billions of dollars annually,financing RSF operations. Thus, through a combination of economic tools (gold trade and ports) and military aid (weaponry and training), the UAE seeks to cement its influence in Sudan while sidelining Islamist factions aligned with Khartoum’s army.
Russia also stands as a major actor in this conflict with two clear goals: first, financing its war effort in Ukraine by exploiting African gold mines; second, expanding influence around the Red Sea region by establishing naval bases-especially at Port Sudan.
Evidence shows Russia initially backed RSF forces but shifted toward supporting Khartoum’s army starting April 2025 after meetings promising “significant assistance.” Weapons have been funneled into Sudan from Libya, Chad, and Russian bases.
Russia’s role extends beyond economics-it aims for strategic military footholds along key maritime corridors while ensuring access to mineral resources amid competition with Western actors.
Egypt and Saudi Arabia
Among Arab states involved directly are Egypt and saudi Arabia.
Egypt openly supports Khartoum’s army due to concerns over border security with Sudan-a key factor given Ethiopia’s Grand Renaissance Dam-and longstanding military ties between Cairo and Khartoum armies.
cairo supplies Turkish drones to government forces alongside officer training initiatives; notably aiding them recapture Al-Ubayyid city in February 2025.
Egypt also hosts “Sudanese Dialog” talks aiming for peace negotiations while sheltering over three million refugees from South Kordofan as of November 2025.
Saudi Arabia maintains implicit backing for Khartoum authorities because Red sea stability is vital for its NEOM development mega-projects; Riyadh hosted peace talks at Jeddah seeking mediation efforts during escalating tensions.
Increased Saudi support during 2025 reflects competition with UAE turf battles inside Sudanese politics-both Cairo & Riyadh aim primarily at securing regional stability around Nile waterways while preventing chaos along vital shipping lanes.
Turkey & China
Turkey leverages drone sales such as Bayraktar UAVs delivered after General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan’s visit in November 2023 to bolster influence across africa’s Horn region including infrastructure projects plus force retraining ahead via direct engagement during territorial reconquests throughout early-to-mid-2025 periods.
China pursues mainly economic interests though actively supports khartoum militarily against rebels indirectly via loans secured against oil agreements coupled diplomatic backing within United Nations forums without deploying troops but protecting investments especially mining-related assets critical despite conflict instability within national boundaries.
Ethiopia, Eritrea,Clyde,,and South sudane
Neighboring countries play crucial parts inside this multifaceted confrontation:
Ethiopia faces off versus Egyptian influences through alliance-building backing Rapid Support Forces linked strategically contest Nile water disputes associated grand dam project,
Eritrea supports rebel factions too seeking regional sway across Horn Africa,
Chad operates ambiguously – facilitating arms transfers originating mainly from Emirati sources simultaneously occurring hosting numerous refugees swept up as humanitarian catastrophe ;
South sudan economically reliant on upstream oil exports exerts no immediate combatant role but still keeps border channels accessible powering various flows behind-the-scenes logistics supply chain enabling insurgency continuation.
Qatar , algeria , And Israel
Less obvious actors include Qatar – acting predominantly as mediator yet harboring Islamist alliances among local opposition; Algeria supplying drones openly signaling increasing technological arsenals contribution . Meanwhile Israel maintains diplomatic dealings per normalization accord since dimly January year twenty-twenty facilitating attempts solidify footholds balancing agendas cooperation materializing concurrently wherever opposing conductions arise affecting complex matrix player’s stratagems .
These secondary participants highlight how external engagement saturation complicates precision resolution dynamics thereby transforming domestic turmoil into wider battleground extensively embedded within global competitive frameworks.
U.S . And Western Presence
Despite focus primarily shifting toward Russia & Regional players U.S .,Européans retain significant stakes conveying emphatic warnings concerning expanding Foreign Interference aggravating fundamentally intrinsic Internal Dissensions evolving worldwide confrontations dimensionally characterised contextually recent developments imposing sanction suites targeting specifically RSF armed elements alongside affiliated entities tactically operating.
Critics maintain however west fails exert cohesive coordinated leverage confronting entirety multinational stakeholders involved effectively frustrate containment prospects thereby constraining resolution efficacy formation wide-ranging governing mechanisms.
Ultimately America pragmatically pursues interest-driven strategies mirroring policy themes consistent globally emphasizing power equilibrium priorities integration challenging balancing motives underpinning multidimensional struggles unfolding remain unresolved challenges requiring extensive approaches applying moral-economic-diplomatic pressure simultaneously ultimately addressing both symptomatic violence drivers tangible mediation facilitation mandates constructive long-term peace processes desired outcome widely sought globally
Conclusion
Sudan drama increasingly mirrors external proxy clashes whose reverberations transcend borders profoundly reshaping political geography landscape.
More than ten distinct powers utilize varied means-from weapon supplies,drones,gold-mines exploitation,to seaport dominance-to escalate hostilities prolong humanitarian catastrophe.
Absent coordinated international interventions encompassing targeted sanctions focusing insurgents,strong monitoring supply chains financial arms shipments combined sustained diplomatic pressure directing regional state actors,seemingly little averts emergence resembling fractious ungoverned Libya scenario marked enduring division uncontainable unrest fertile ground geopolitical rivalries thrives perpetuating instability definitively determining fate fragile nation depends heavily outside parties willingness prioritize population welfare above immediate unilateral gains otherwise real peace remains elusive pursued goal undermined persistently prevailing manipulation-control logic sustaining conflict cycle deteriorating conditions drastically impacting civilian lives daily throughout protracted timeline which currently unfolds continuously challenging global order framework commitment values upheld universally
