Sudan Slips Soldiers Into the Halayeb Triangle

According to statements from Sudanese and Egyptian officials, Sudan deployed a platoon-sized military force by sea into the port town of Halayeb, located on the Red Sea coast, around May 5. The town is located within the Halayeb triangle, a disputed territory between Egypt and Sudan that is under de facto Egyptian control. However, neither country has given much public attention to the incident because they are focused on expanding their diplomatic relations. Egypt and Sudan have been trying to set up a joint border force; both countries are involved in negotiations relating to the Ethiopian Grand Renaissance Dam; and Egypt is currently attempting to overturn its suspension from the African Union. These ongoing diplomatic initiatives — along with a lack of demonstrated intent to make the movement a major issue — mean that events in the Halayeb triangle are unlikely to disrupt relations between Cairo and Khartoum.