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Egypt, Sudan Conclude 'Guardians of the Nile' Military Drill

Sudanese Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Mohammed Osman Al Hussein, left, and his Egyptian counterpart Gen. Mohammed Farid at the end of the “Guardians of the Nile” joint military drill in south Sudan. (AFP)
Sudanese Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Mohammed Osman Al Hussein, left, and his Egyptian counterpart Gen. Mohammed Farid at the end of the “Guardians of the Nile” joint military drill in south Sudan. (AFP)
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Egypt, Sudan Conclude 'Guardians of the Nile' Military Drill

Sudanese Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Mohammed Osman Al Hussein, left, and his Egyptian counterpart Gen. Mohammed Farid at the end of the “Guardians of the Nile” joint military drill in south Sudan. (AFP)
Sudanese Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Mohammed Osman Al Hussein, left, and his Egyptian counterpart Gen. Mohammed Farid at the end of the “Guardians of the Nile” joint military drill in south Sudan. (AFP)

Egypt and Sudan concluded the largest drill between their armies, amid tensions with Ethiopia over its construction and operation of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) on the Nile River.

Tensions are also high between Sudan and Ethiopia over a border dispute.

Sudanese Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Mohammed Osman Al Hussein reiterated that the “Guardians of the Nile” joint military training holds no message against others.

Egyptian Chief of Staff Gen. Mohammed Farid said the exercises, held in Sudan's Um Siyala region, were conducted amid “challenges and threats and the possibility of their escalation”.

Al Hussein said: “They are not meant to target anyone in specific, as long as our national security is unharmed.”

“They were aimed at realizing harmony and entrenching [military] doctrines so that they can be a deterrent to enemies and deal with both expected and potential threats,” he added.

The two officials have stressed continuous cooperation to serve the best interest of both countries.

Egypt and Sudan have held several joint drills in recent months amid mounting tensions in the region.

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Israel Deliberately Targets Medical Teams, Aid Workers in Lebanon

Volunteers from the Lebanese Red Cross rescue a woman in the city of Nabatieh in South Lebanon (AFP)
Volunteers from the Lebanese Red Cross rescue a woman in the city of Nabatieh in South Lebanon (AFP)
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Israel Deliberately Targets Medical Teams, Aid Workers in Lebanon

Volunteers from the Lebanese Red Cross rescue a woman in the city of Nabatieh in South Lebanon (AFP)
Volunteers from the Lebanese Red Cross rescue a woman in the city of Nabatieh in South Lebanon (AFP)

Over the past three weeks, Israel has systematically targeted hospitals, medical staff, aid workers, and ambulances across various regions of Lebanon, particularly in the heavily bombarded southern areas.
Tel Aviv appears intent on erasing signs of life and sustainability, especially south of the Litani River, aiming to turn the region into scorched earth and establish a buffer zone by force. The exact size of this zone, who will control it, and whether it will involve a permanent occupation remain unclear.
Lebanese Health Minister Firas Al-Abiad recently stated that Israel is “deliberately and systematically” targeting medical teams, revealing that 13 hospitals are no longer operational, more than 150 healthcare workers have been killed, and over 100 medical centers and 130 ambulances have been targeted.
Last week, Nicolas von Arx, the regional director for the Near and Middle East at the International Committee of the Red Cross, issued an urgent call to protect healthcare personnel, ambulances, hospitals, and primary care centers, expressing deep concern over the attacks on medical facilities.
The Islamic Health Authority, affiliated with Hezbollah, reported that over 80 rescue workers have been killed in the past year, 70 of them in the past three weeks alone. The Scout Association of Amal Movement reported losing 21 members. Meanwhile, the Israeli army recently announced that any vehicle suspected of carrying armed militants would be considered a legitimate military target, regardless of its type.
Sobhiya Najjar, a public policy expert and coordinator of the Social Protection for All campaign at the Center for Social Science Research Applications (CESSRA), highlighted that the destruction of Lebanon’s healthcare system is systematic and mirrors what is happening in Gaza. She noted that Lebanon’s healthcare system, particularly in regions like Baalbek-Hermel, Bint Jbeil, and Tyre, was already fragile.
Najjar told Asharq Al-Awsat that Israel targets medical centers, staff, ambulances, and firefighting services to weaken Hezbollah’s ability to treat the wounded and provide essential healthcare, thus increasing pressure on the health system.
This strategy sows chaos and fear among civilians, weakening morale and hindering the delivery of humanitarian aid, including medical and food supplies. She stressed that such actions violate international laws, which protect medical teams as neutral entities.
Paul Morcos, head of the legal organization Justicia, added that while Israel claims medical facilities and ambulances are used to hide weapons and militants, indiscriminate attacks that endanger doctors, nurses, patients, and civilians are prohibited under international law. He cited the 1949 Geneva Conventions and their protocols, which mandate taking precautions to avoid harm to civilians and ensure proportionality in military operations. These rules, he emphasized, have become customary and are binding on all nations.
For her part, political activist Dr. Mona Fayyad described these actions as part of a “genocide” committed by Israel, deliberately preventing the rescue of the wounded. She criticized the international community’s silence and argued that even if some medical personnel support Hezbollah, there is no justification for risking civilian lives under any pretext.