Egypt-Sudan hold military exercise amid crisis with Ethiopia
Egypt and Sudan hold military drills amid a deadlock in talks with Ethiopia to reach a binding agreement on filling and operation of Ethiopian dam project on the Nile.
Commando and air forces from Egypt and Sudan concluded a five-day military exercise at Merowe air base in northern Sudan on April 5, amid a deadlock in talks with Ethiopia over a hydroelectric dam project Addis Ababa is building on the Blue Nile, a tributary of the Nile River.
According to an Egyptian military statement, the exercise, dubbed “Nile Eagles 2,” included joint sorties by multirole fighter jets to mimic the attack of hostile targets and protect vital targets. The drill also featured storming operations, concealment and camouflage operations.
“The Egyptian army stands side by side with the Sudanese army in the same trench to defend it as both armies look forward to a more promising and safer future,” Lt. Gen. Mohamed Farid, the chief of staff of the Egyptian army, said at the conclusion of the military exercise.
He said the joint training will contribute to boosting security of both Egypt and Sudan and underlined the importance for the two countries “to work together against common challenges against the borders.”
