Riyadh and Cairo issue ultimatum to Haftar over UAE-backed support for Sudan’s RSF

Saudi Arabia and Egypt have intensified pressure on Libyan strongman Khalifa Haftar to sever his strategic partnership with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) regarding the support of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in the ongoing Sudanese conflict.

According to a report by Middle East Eye (MEE), the governments in Cairo and Riyadh have elevated their warnings to Haftar to the highest level. This move is viewed as part of a broader strategy by the two regional powers to curtail Emirati influence in Yemen and the Horn of Africa.

The report indicates that Cairo has delivered a definitive message: it will fundamentally reassess its relationship with Haftar if he continues to coordinate with the UAE in supporting the RSF. The paramilitary group currently faces accusations of genocidal acts against non-Arab Sudanese tribes. The primary objective for Egypt and Saudi Arabia is to dismantle the supply lines providing weapons, fuel, and fighters to the RSF.

Saddam Haftar summoned to Cairo

Sources speaking to MEE revealed that Saddam Haftar, son of Khalifa Haftar and Deputy Commander of the Libyan Arab Armed Forces (LAAF), visited Cairo earlier this month to meet with high-ranking officials, including Defense Minister Abdel-Meguid Sakar.

A senior Egyptian military source emphasized that the visit was not a diplomatic courtesy; rather, Saddam Haftar was “effectively summoned” to Cairo. The move was triggered by confirmed intelligence that the UAE has been utilizing LAAF logistics to funnel weapons, military equipment, man-portable air-defense systems (MANPADS), and drones to the RSF.

According to the same source, Egyptian intelligence and military officials presented Saddam Haftar with concrete evidence, including documentation of fuel shipments from Libya’s Sarir refinery to RSF leader Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, as well as the transfer of UAE-originated weaponry.

The power vacuum created in Sudan following the 2019 ousting of President Omar al-Bashir deepened significantly when civil war erupted in 2023. The conflict between the RSF and the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) has generated severe instability along Egypt’s southern border. While Cairo supports the Sudanese military, the UAE is widely reported to be providing arms and financing to the RSF to expand its regional influence and secure access to Sudan’s gold reserves.

Supply lines running through Libya are believed to have played a critical role in the paramilitary group’s seizure of border regions in June and its capture of the city of El Fasher in October, following a siege lasting more than 550 days. Human rights organizations have accused the RSF of massacring thousands of civilians after taking control of El Fasher.

The military source told MEE that Egypt possesses imagery documenting the UAE transporting weapons from Abu Dhabi to Haftar’s forces in Libya, which are then moved to the RSF in Sudan. Visual evidence also reportedly shows Libyan fuel tankers resupplying RSF elements in Darfur.

Furthermore, Egyptian security agencies have used audio and visual intelligence to confirm that mercenaries from Colombia and Venezuela have arrived in Libya before being transferred to Sudan to join RSF ranks.

The report suggests that Cairo and Riyadh have offered Saddam Haftar a multi-billion dollar military and financial support package on the condition that he terminates his cooperation with the UAE.

Forces led by Khalifa Haftar—a former CIA asset—established control over eastern and southern Libya following the 2011 NATO-backed intervention and the fall of Muammar Gaddafi. Haftar continues to lead an administration that rivals the internationally recognized government based in Tripoli.

The Yemen front of regional rivalry

This development comes as tensions between Saudi Arabia and the UAE resurfaced in Yemen last month. The Southern Transitional Council (STC), which maintains close ties to the UAE, attempted to seize control of several regions in December, including the oil-rich Hadramaut province.

Saudi-backed Presidential Leadership Council forces reportedly repelled the attempt, forcing a reduction in the UAE’s military presence in the country. Riyadh reportedly compelled senior STC figures to announce the group’s dissolution, while STC leader Aidarus al-Zoubaidi has reportedly sought refuge in the UAE.