by MIDDLE EAST EYE STAFF
Sources say officers and soldiers arrived in the kingdom last week, despite Khartoum supposedly winding down its involvement in the conflict
Hundreds of Sudanese soldiers entered Saudi Arabia en route to Yemen last week, Middle East Eye has learned, suggesting Khartoum is increasing its involvement in the Yemeni conflict.
In January, Sudan announced it was drawing down its military presence in Yemen from around 5,000 troops to a “minor” group of some 650. Previously, Sudan has had as many as 15,000 soldiers deployed there as part of the Saudi and UAE-led coalition fighting the Houthi movement.
However, private Saudi sources told MEE that 1,018 Sudanese army officers and soldiers entered the kingdom by boat on 22 September, passing through passport control in the southeastern city of Jazan, near the Yemeni border.
One well-placed source, who wished to remain anonymous due to the sensitivity of the issue, said two Sudanese planes carrying military personnel also travelled from Khartoum to southern Saudi Arabia’s Najran airport the day before.
The first, which held 123 passengers, arrived at 7.23pm, while the second took 128 passengers, the source said.
According to the source, the first plane then departed for Khartoum at 8.27pm with 122 passengers and the second at 8.59pm with 128.
“The planes brought Sudanese officers and soldiers to take part in Operation Restoring Hope,” the source said, using the coalition’s latest name for its operations in Yemen.
Military-civilian tensions
Sudan, then led by the government of Omar al-Bashir, entered the Yemeni war in 2015 on behalf of Yemeni President Abd Rabbuh Mansour Hadi, and its troops have been particularly active on the country’s Red Sea coast.
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