Egypt’s deployment of a powerful Turkish-made combat drone to an airstrip near its southwestern border has raised serious concerns about an escalation in Sudan’s ongoing civil war. According to more than a dozen officials and regional experts, this move suggests that Egypt, one of Sudan’s largest neighbours, is becoming more directly involved in the nearly three-year-long conflict.

Egypt shares a more than 1,200-kilometre-long border with Sudan and is closely linked to it through the Nile River. Since the conflict began between Sudan’s military and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) paramilitary group, Egypt has consistently provided strong political support to the Sudanese Armed Forces. Until last year, however, Egypt mostly avoided direct involvement in the fighting, despite the war killing tens of thousands of people, displacing millions, and causing famine across large parts of Sudan.

This position began to change after the RSF made major territorial gains in western Sudan’s Darfur region. According to eight regional analysts and three diplomats briefed by Egyptian officials, the RSF first captured a strategic northwestern triangle bordering Egypt and Libya in June. Later, in October, the group overran the Sudanese military’s last remaining stronghold in Darfur, the city of al-Fashir.

In December, Egypt’s presidency publicly warned that the country’s national security was directly linked to Sudan’s security. It said Cairo would not allow its “red lines” to be crossed. These red lines, according to the statement, include preserving Sudan’s territorial integrity and rejecting any “parallel entities” that threaten the country’s unity.

Two Egyptian security officials told Reuters that military equipment had been supplied to two airports in southern Egypt over the past eight months. The purpose, they said, was to secure the border and carry out military strikes to protect “national security.” The officials declined to provide further details and spoke on condition of anonymity.

Satellite images from U.S. space technology firm Vantor show a large drone stationed at one of these airports in East Oweinat on September 29, December 28, and January 9. Two military experts who reviewed the images identified the aircraft as a Bayraktar Akinci drone, based on its distinctive design. The New York Times has also published imagery of Akinci drones at the same airstrip and reported that they were being used for strikes inside Sudan.

The Bayraktar Akinci is one of the most advanced drones produced by Turkish defence company Baykar. It can fly at high altitudes, remain airborne for up to 24 hours, and carry a wide range of weapons.

Egypt’s Foreign Ministry, State Information Service, and Sudan’s military did not respond to requests for comment regarding operations at East Oweinat or inside Sudan.

Egypt is part of the so-called “Quad” group, along with Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and the United States. This group is considered the most influential in the Sudan conflict and has attempted, unsuccessfully, to broker a ceasefire. Analysts say Egypt’s tougher stance adds another dangerous element to a war that has already drawn in many foreign actors since April 2023, when Sudan’s military and the RSF split over plans to integrate their forces during a transition to civilian rule.

The conflict has seen various forms of external involvement. U.N. experts have accused the UAE of supplying weapons to the RSF, which Abu Dhabi denies. Sudan’s military has used Turkish and Iranian drones and has received political support from Qatar and Saudi Arabia.

RSF leader Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo has accused Egypt of carrying out airstrikes against his forces since at least October 2024, an allegation Cairo denied at the time. Shortly before the fall of al-Fashir, Dagalo said his forces were being attacked by aircraft taking off from “airports in neighbouring countries,” adding that such airports would be considered a “legitimate target.”

The RSF did not respond to questions from Reuters for this report.

The New Arab, a London-based media outlet, quoted an Egyptian military official as saying Egypt carried out an airstrike on an RSF convoy in the border triangle area on January 9. A diplomat in Cairo, briefed by Egyptian officials, said the strike was launched from an airbase in southern Egypt. Reuters could not independently verify these claims.

Samir Farag, a retired Egyptian military officer, said East Oweinat is one of the “main bases through which Egypt can secure its southern borders.” He added, “Egypt doesn’t allow anyone to be present on its borders and threaten its national security. It will intervene directly and manage the situation. This is the right of every country in the world.”

Further satellite imagery suggests increased activity at the base. According to Jeremy Binnie of defence intelligence firm Jane’s, images from Planet Labs on December 28 likely show two Akinci drones outside a hangar. Other images suggest multiple hangars are being used to store drones.

Military expert Wim Zwijnenburg of Dutch peace organisation PAX said the presence of support equipment and the movement of the drones indicate they are operational. The images also show runway renovations, new roads, and additional structures being built between July and January.

The RSF claims its territory has been repeatedly attacked by Akinci drones and says it has shot down at least seven since June, though Reuters could not verify this. Videos posted online in January showed wreckage that experts said appeared consistent with a crashed Akinci, but details could not be confirmed.

In February 2024, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said Turkey would sell drones to Egypt following the normalisation of ties. A Turkish Defence Ministry source later confirmed an agreement on the sale of Akincis. A Western diplomat said Turkish officials had privately defended Egyptian airstrikes as legitimate.

Flight tracking data shows several flights from Turkey to East Oweinat since September, though the cargo could not be confirmed.

Analysts say Egypt’s actions reflect a clear shift in policy. “The drone deployment at East Oweinat was an indication of Egypt’s recent policy to be more involved in Sudan,” said Justin Lynch of the Conflict Insights Group. Jalel Harchaoui of the Royal United Services Institute said, “When al-Fashir finally fell … Cairo’s equilibrium shifted toward taking tougher measures against the RSF.”