Egyptian, US Presidents Discuss Regional Developments

Egyptian, US Presidents Discuss Regional Developments
TT
20

Egyptian, US Presidents Discuss Regional Developments

Egyptian, US Presidents Discuss Regional Developments

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi and his US counterpart, Donald Trump, discussed bilateral cooperation between the two countries, in addition to regional developments.

Sisi received a phone call from Trump on Thursday, according to Egyptian presidency spokesperson Bassam Rady.

"President Trump stressed the value of the fruitful partnership and constructive cooperation between the United States and Egypt, and the centrality of the mutual understanding between the two countries in enhancing security and stability in the Middle East region."

The spokesman affirmed that for his part, "President Sisi expressed during the call his gratitude and appreciation for President Trump's efforts and contributions in consolidating the extended friendship between the two countries," wishing "all the best and prosperity for the United States of America and its friendly people."

According to Rady, "the telephone call dealt with exchanging views and appreciation regarding the developments of a number of regional issues of common interest, as well as discussing some issues of bilateral cooperation relations between Egypt and the United States."

During a phone call last June, Trump had expressed to his Egyptian counterpart Washington’s commitment to "facilitating reaching a fair agreement” on the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam.

In November 2019, the United States sought to mediate an agreement between Ethiopia, Egypt and Sudan on the rules of filling and operating the dam.

However, no agreement was reached, although Washington pushed towards signing an agreement, which Egypt considered "fair and balanced."

At the time, Ethiopia accused the US of "not acting diplomatically."

The African Union is sponsoring the latest round of the discussions.



Sudan’s Paramilitaries Seize a Key Area along with the Border with Libya and Egypt

A Sudanese army soldier walks toward a truck-mounted gun left behind by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), in Salha, south of Omdurman, a day after recapturing it from the RSF, on May 21, 2025. (Photo by Ebrahim Hamid / AFP)
A Sudanese army soldier walks toward a truck-mounted gun left behind by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), in Salha, south of Omdurman, a day after recapturing it from the RSF, on May 21, 2025. (Photo by Ebrahim Hamid / AFP)
TT
20

Sudan’s Paramilitaries Seize a Key Area along with the Border with Libya and Egypt

A Sudanese army soldier walks toward a truck-mounted gun left behind by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), in Salha, south of Omdurman, a day after recapturing it from the RSF, on May 21, 2025. (Photo by Ebrahim Hamid / AFP)
A Sudanese army soldier walks toward a truck-mounted gun left behind by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), in Salha, south of Omdurman, a day after recapturing it from the RSF, on May 21, 2025. (Photo by Ebrahim Hamid / AFP)

Sudanese paramilitaries at war with the country’s military for over two years claimed to have seized a strategic area along the border with neighboring Libya and Egypt.

The Rapid Support Forces said in a statement Wednesday that they captured the triangular zone, fortifying their presence along Sudan’ s already volatile border with chaos-stricken Libya, The Associated Press said.

The RSF’s announcement came hours after the military said it had evacuated the area as part of “its defensive arrangements to repel aggression” by the paramilitaries.

On Tuesday the military accused the forces of powerful Libyan commander Khalifa Hafter of supporting the RSF’s attack on the area, in a “blatant aggression against Sudan, its land, and its people.”

Hafter’s forces, which control eastern and southern Libya, rejected the claim, saying in a statement that the Sudanese accusations were “a blatant attempt to export the Sudanese internal crisis and create a virtual external enemy.”

The attack on the border area was the latest twist in Sudan’s civil war which erupted in April 2023 when tensions between the Sudanese army and RSF exploded with street battles in the capital, Khartoum that quickly spread across the country.

The war has killed at least 24,000 people, though the number is likely far higher. It has driven about 13 million people from their homes, including 4 million who crossed into neighboring countries. It created the world's worst humanitarian crisis, and parts of the country have been pushed 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 Darfur, according to the U.N. and international rights groups.