عربي English Türkçe اردو فارسى
Logo
Latest News
Arab World

Sisi: Egypt Succeeded in Maintaining Regional Strategic Balance

Military forces are seen in North Sinai, Egypt, December 1, 2017. Picture taken December 1, 2017. REUTERS/Mohamed Abd El Ghany/File Photo
Military forces are seen in North Sinai, Egypt, December 1, 2017. Picture taken December 1, 2017. REUTERS/Mohamed Abd El Ghany/File Photo
TT
20
TT

Sisi: Egypt Succeeded in Maintaining Regional Strategic Balance

Military forces are seen in North Sinai, Egypt, December 1, 2017. Picture taken December 1, 2017. REUTERS/Mohamed Abd El Ghany/File Photo
Military forces are seen in North Sinai, Egypt, December 1, 2017. Picture taken December 1, 2017. REUTERS/Mohamed Abd El Ghany/File Photo

Egyptian President Abdul Fattah el-Sisi praised the pivotal role being played by the Egyptian armed forces in maintaining security, stability and strategic balance in the Middle East region.

This came during his meeting Wednesday with Minister of Defense and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces Mohamed Zaki, and Commander of the Egyptian Air Force Abbas Helmy.

Sisi called for maintaining the highest levels of readiness “to protect the country's national security in light of the great challenges facing the region," Presidential spokesman Bassam Rady said.

The president was briefed on several issues related to the activities and preparedness of the armed forces' main branches, particularly the Air Force.

According to Rady, Sisi also reviewed the results of recent joint military exercises with a number of units.

In a related context, Egypt’s Army Chief of Staff Lt. General Mohamed Farid and several chiefs of staff on Arab countries’ armed forces attended the main stage of a joint military drill dubbed "Saif Al Arab," - "Sword of Arabs".

The participating countries include Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Bahrain and Sudan.

This phase showed the accuracy of hitting fixed and moving targets, and the high maneuver capability of the forces through joint work.

Most Viewed

 
Arab World

Suspected RSF Strike Hits a Prison, Killing at Least 19 in Sudan, Officials Say

A view shows a large plume of smoke and fire rising from fuel depot in Port Sudan, Sudan, May 6, 2025. (Reuters)
A view shows a large plume of smoke and fire rising from fuel depot in Port Sudan, Sudan, May 6, 2025. (Reuters)
TT
20
TT

Suspected RSF Strike Hits a Prison, Killing at Least 19 in Sudan, Officials Say

A view shows a large plume of smoke and fire rising from fuel depot in Port Sudan, Sudan, May 6, 2025. (Reuters)
A view shows a large plume of smoke and fire rising from fuel depot in Port Sudan, Sudan, May 6, 2025. (Reuters)

A suspected drone strike by the Rapid Support Forces hit a prison in Sudan's southern region of Kordofan on Saturday and killed at least 19 prisoners, authorities said, the latest deadly attack in the country’s more than two-year civil war.

The attack on the main prison in Obeid, the capital city of North Kordofan, also wounded 45 other prisoners, according to a statement from the province’s police forces.

The statement accused the Rapid Support Forces of launching the attack, which came as the RSF escalated its drone strikes on the military-held areas across the country.

There was no immediate comment from the RSF, which has been at war with the Sudanese military for more than two years.

Earlier this month, the RSF launched multi-day drone attack on Port Sudan, the Red Sea city serving as an interim seat for the Sudanese government. The strikes hit the city’s airports, maritime port and other facilities including fuel storages.

The RSF escalation came after the military struck the Nyala airport in South Darfur, where the RSF receives foreign military assistance, including drones. Local media say dozens of RSF officers were killed in last week's strike.

Sudan plunged into chaos on April 15, 2023, when simmering tensions between the military and the RSF exploded into open warfare in the capital Khartoum and other parts of the country. Obeid is 363 kilometers (225 miles) south of Khartoum.

Since then, at least 24,000 people have been killed, though the number is likely far higher. The war has driven about 13 million people from their homes, including 4 million who crossed into neighboring countries. The conflict also has pushed parts of the country into famine.

The fighting has been marked by atrocities including mass rape and ethnically motivated killings that amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity, especially in the western Darfur region, according to the UN and international rights groups.