The Sudanese army sent massive military reinforcements to locations in the Sahara desert on Tuesday, marking new field movements after months of stalled military operations on this front.
In June 2025, the Sudanese army announced it was evacuating the tri-border area with Egypt and Libya as part of defensive arrangements, a day after accusing forces loyal to Libyan General Khalifa Haftar of intruding into Sudanese territory and supporting the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
The tri-border region in the Sahara desert holds immense strategic importance due to its borders with Libya and Egypt, while connecting vast areas in northern Sudan to North Darfur state in the west.
Sources told Sudan Tribune that the army began moving large forces a week ago toward desert areas in Northern state adjacent to Darfur, as part of a broader push to open a new operational front.
Part of the military convoys stationed over recent days in the al-Khanaq and al-Raheb areas in Northern state to prepare for upcoming operations in surrounding regions, sources said.
Field indicators suggest the movements aim to open a front toward the tri-border area, with operations extending into North Darfur state. Another force aims to reinforce the army’s presence in Tina, Um Baru, and Karnoi in North Darfur, as well as strengthen troops around Kulbus and Jebel Moon.
The army and its allies seek to cut off supply routes coming from Libya, where the RSF exploits weak oversight in the remote desert region to smuggle weapons and fuel with support from Subul al-Salam forces affiliated with Haftar.
Sources said the army assigned coordination of desert movements between the armed forces and participating allied armed movements to Major General Bakhit Debajo.
Debajo appeared in recent days alongside several senior military leaders from the Joint Force in an undisclosed remote desert area.
Bakhit Abdel Karim Debajo is the head of the Justice and Equality Movement (Peace Faction) that signed the Doha agreement in 2013. He was integrated into the army as an officer under security arrangements before being promoted to Major General in 2021.
