Sudan accuses over 20 countries of involvement in ongoing war

Sudan's defense minister accused more than 20 countries on Wednesday of involvement in the country's ongoing war by supporting the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

Speaking to the Sudan News Agency, Hassan Daoud Kabroun said the countries were providing the RSF with logistical support, mercenaries, funding and drones.

He did not name the countries allegedly involved.

“What is happening is not a civil war or a struggle for power, but a comprehensive war aimed at destroying Sudan, plundering its resources and changing its demographic composition,” Kabroun said.

The Sudanese army and the RSF have been fighting since April 2023, when disagreements over the integration of military forces escalated into war.

The conflict has killed tens of thousands of people and displaced around 13 million, amid worsening famine and a deepening humanitarian crisis.

Separately, Kabroun said Sudan was a pivotal country that could not be excluded from regional and African security arrangements.

He said Sudan was seeking to join a maritime coalition established to ensure collective protection of the Red Sea.

“Sudan cannot remain outside efforts to secure the Red Sea, which represents a strategic depth for the country,” he said.

Kabroun noted that Sudan has a coastline stretching approximately 800 kilometers (497 miles) along the Red Sea.

Saudi Arabia announced the establishment of a maritime coalition on July 30, 2026, to protect navigation, trade and energy supplies in the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden and Bab al-Mandab Strait.

On Aug. 13, the Saudi Defense Ministry announced that 15 countries signed the coalition's founding declaration, while 13 had completed their national procedures to join.

Kabroun also said Sudan was surrounded by African countries facing multiple security challenges, including the proliferation of weapons, smuggling, human trafficking and the presence of rebel movements.

He said these cross-border threats directly affected Sudan's security.

The minister added that security coordination had previously been carried out through joint forces with neighboring countries, but the ongoing war had disrupted their operations on the ground.