Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir has denied any involvement by the Egyptian army in strikes against the opposition in South Sudan.
Bashir denied that the Egyptian Air Force carried out strikes against the opposition in Kaka city, the Upper Nile state, or any other area in South Sudan at the beginning of February.
Bashir did, however, accuse Cairo of supplying Salva Kiir forces in South Sudan with weapons and ammunition.
In a statement made to Sudanese newspapers during his recent visit to the UAE and published in the Sudan Tribune, Bashir said that there is intelligence information that indicates that the Egyptian government supports the Juba government with arms.
Salva Kiir's visit to Cairo aimed to thank Sisi and Egyptian officials for their diplomatic support to South Sudan's government earlier at the United Nations Security Council.
Hany Raslan, Chairman of the Sudan Studies sector at Al Ahram Center for Strategic Studies, commented on Bashir's remarks, saying that the latter had taken advantage of the recent dispute between Egypt and Saudi Arabia and had sought rapprochement with Riyadh.
Sudan participated with the Saudi-led coalition in its war against the Houthis in Yemen, said Raslan, pointing out that South Sudan is of strategic importance to the security of Egypt, and that the existence of an internal split in Juba affects Egyptian national security and the entire region.
Mohamed al-Shazly, former Assistant Foreign Minister, said that Egypt has repeatedly stressed that it does not interfere in the internal affairs of other countries.
Hussein Haridy, former Assistant Foreign Minister, also reiterated that Egypt recently denied statements similar to those of Bashir's. Haridy explained that Bashir is seeking to maneuver in the regional and Arab arenas at the expense of Sudanese-Egyptian relations, in order to achieve tactical gains and win the trust of countries that have strained relations with Egypt.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
