Sudanese military personnel have reportedly departed Port Sudan for Saudi Arabia as part of a possible military deployment linked to the kingdom’s confrontation with Yemen’s Houthi movement, according to a report published on Wednesday.
The Sudanese news outlet Ain al-Haqiqa cited an unnamed military source who said the contingent included a brigade from Sudan’s armed forces, fighters from allied Islamist battalions and members of the Sudan Shield Forces.
The source, who said he was among those deployed, claimed that personnel had been informed their mission was connected to military operations against the Houthis.
However, he said the troops had not been briefed on the details of any agreement between Sudan’s military leadership and Saudi Arabia, including whether the deployment involved financial or material compensation.
The reported movement follows claims of a possible military arrangement between Port Sudan authorities and Riyadh.
A report published by Defence Matters on November 3 suggested that Sudanese army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan had reached an understanding with Saudi authorities involving the deployment of Sudanese troops in exchange for fuel supplies.
The proposed arrangement comes as Sudan’s military faces mounting economic pressures and fuel shortages amid its continuing war against the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
Neither Sudanese nor Saudi authorities have publicly confirmed the reported deployment or the existence of such an agreement.
The number of personnel involved remains unclear, as does whether they would participate directly in combat operations inside Yemen or undertake defensive duties within Saudi Arabia.
The reports have raised questions about the Port Sudan authorities’ decision to commit military resources abroad while Sudan remains engulfed in a devastating internal conflict.
They have also drawn attention to the potential implications for Sudanese troops, including the legal authorisation for their deployment and the guarantees provided for their safety.
