Sudan, which been in turmoil since President Omar al-Bashir's removal from power, was a country where Turkey had surprisingly high-level and close relations. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan visited Sudan in December 2017 and Bashir reciprocated despite all the controversy it generated.
Turkish exports to Sudan grew along with Turkey's sudden presence at Suakin Island and unexpected military agreements. In April, when Bashir was ousted, Erdogan reacted angrily, saying the coup was actually against Turkey. In June, the Turkey-Sudan friendship platform organized a protest in Istanbul against the Sudanese military intervention.
