Port Sudan, August 28(Darfur 24)
Two political sources in the Sudanese government revealed to Darfur 24 that Cairo intervened earlier this year to halt the escalating rhetoric of Sovereignty Council member and Assistant Commander-in-Chief of the Sudanese Armed Forces, Yasser Al-Atta, against the UAE.
A source close to political decision-making informed Darfur 24 that a meeting was held in Cairo last May between Egyptian intelligence leaders and Assistant Commander-in-Chief of the Sudanese Armed Forces, Yasser Al-Atta, in the presence of Libyan leaders from eastern Libya, which is controlled by the Libyan National Army led by Khalifa Haftar. The meeting discussed halting Al-Atta’s escalating rhetoric against the UAE and adopting diplomatic means instead of media discourse.
According to the source, the meeting explicitly and clearly demanded that Al-Atta stop his scathing rhetoric against the UAE. However, the source refused to elaborate on Al-Atta’s reaction to the demand to halt the media escalation against the UAE.
Relations between Sudan and the UAE have been strained following accusations by the former of supporting the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The Sudanese Defense Council decided to sever ties in May, before the UAE took further escalatory steps by halting air and sea traffic from Sudan, including commercial traffic.
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A second source confirmed the Cairo meeting, adding, “It is likely that Al-Atta will stop the escalation, especially since the country’s top leadership is not satisfied with Al-Atta’s rhetoric.”
Since the first months of the war, Al-Atta has been issuing harsh rhetoric against the leaders of the UAE.
His statements against Abu Dhabi, Nairobi, and N’Djamena have escalated to the point of threatening to use air force against the N’Djamena and Am Jers airports.