Sudan Says Joint Drills With Egypt Do Not Target a Certain Country

 Joint Egyptian-Sudanese drills (The official page of the Egyptian Armed Forces Spokesman)
Joint Egyptian-Sudanese drills (The official page of the Egyptian Armed Forces Spokesman)
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Sudan Says Joint Drills With Egypt Do Not Target a Certain Country

 Joint Egyptian-Sudanese drills (The official page of the Egyptian Armed Forces Spokesman)
Joint Egyptian-Sudanese drills (The official page of the Egyptian Armed Forces Spokesman)

Sudan’s Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Mohamed Osman al-Hussein affirmed that the joint Sudanese-Egyptian military exercises “do not target a certain country.”

His comments came after the joint Sudanese-Egyptian air military drill, dubbed “The Nile Eagles 2”, were concluded on Sunday in Sudan’s Marwa air base.

Units from the Egyptian and Sudanese air forces, Sudan’s Thunderbolt Forces and Egypt’s Special Forces took part in the exercise, which was attended by al-Hussein and his Egyptian counterpart Mohamed Farid Hegazy.

Al-Hussein hailed the event, affirming the importance of the exercise in boosting relations between Egypt and Sudan and integrating their national security.

The two sides carried out a number of intense training exercises, including storming operations, concealment, and camouflage operations.

The troops also conducted joint sorties to attack hostile targets and protect vital targets.

Commander of the Sudanese Air Force Essam al-Din Saeed said the activities help exchange expertise and enhance training in the fields of planning and implementing joint combat activities.



US Defers Removal of Some Lebanese, Citing Israel-Hezbollah Tensions

Smoke billows from a site targeted by Lebanon's Hezbollah, along the northern Israeli border with Lebanon on July 25, 2024, amid ongoing cross-border clashes between Israeli troops and Hezbollah fighters. (AFP)
Smoke billows from a site targeted by Lebanon's Hezbollah, along the northern Israeli border with Lebanon on July 25, 2024, amid ongoing cross-border clashes between Israeli troops and Hezbollah fighters. (AFP)
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US Defers Removal of Some Lebanese, Citing Israel-Hezbollah Tensions

Smoke billows from a site targeted by Lebanon's Hezbollah, along the northern Israeli border with Lebanon on July 25, 2024, amid ongoing cross-border clashes between Israeli troops and Hezbollah fighters. (AFP)
Smoke billows from a site targeted by Lebanon's Hezbollah, along the northern Israeli border with Lebanon on July 25, 2024, amid ongoing cross-border clashes between Israeli troops and Hezbollah fighters. (AFP)

The United States is deferring the removal of certain Lebanese citizens from the country, President Joe Biden said on Friday, citing humanitarian conditions in southern Lebanon amid tensions between Israel and Hezbollah.

The deferred designation, which lasts 18 months, allows Lebanese citizens to remain in the country with the right to work, according to a memorandum Biden sent to the Department of Homeland Security.

"Humanitarian conditions in southern Lebanon have significantly deteriorated due to tensions between Hezbollah and Israel," Biden said in the memo.

"While I remain focused on de-escalating the situation and improving humanitarian conditions, many civilians remain in danger; therefore, I am directing the deferral of removal of certain Lebanese nationals who are present in the United States."

Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah have been trading fire since Hezbollah announced a "support front" with Palestinians shortly after its ally Hamas attacked southern Israeli border communities on Oct. 7, triggering Israel's military assault in Gaza.

The fighting in Lebanon has killed more than 100 civilians and more than 300 Hezbollah fighters, according to a Reuters tally, and led to levels of destruction in Lebanese border towns and villages not seen since the 2006 Israel-Lebanon war.

On the Israeli side, 10 Israeli civilians, a foreign agricultural worker and 20 Israeli soldiers have been killed. Tens of thousands have been evacuated from both sides of the border.