ANKARA – Sudan’s Chief of Staff Gen. Yasser Abdelrahman Hassan al-Atta visited Ankara for high-level talks with Turkish defense officials, as Khartoum seeks to strengthen military cooperation with Türkiye amid the ongoing war.
Turkish Defense Minister Yaşar Güler received Al-Atta after the Sudanese army chief arrived in the Turkish capital at the official invitation of Türkiye’s Chief of General Staff Gen. Selçuk Bayraktaroğlu.
The visit comes as Sudan and Türkiye move to expand coordination between their military institutions, with defense cooperation becoming an increasingly important track in relations between the two countries.
Sudanese-Turkish relations have continued during the war through political, diplomatic and security contacts, with Ankara maintaining engagement with Sudan’s state institutions. The visit by Sudan’s chief of staff signals continued high-level communication between the two military establishments at a time when Khartoum is seeking regional and international support.
The war between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which erupted in April 2023, has increased Sudan’s need for military supplies, technical support, logistics and political backing. The conflict has also pushed the Sudanese government to reinforce ties with regional powers seen as important to its diplomatic and security calculations.
Türkiye views Sudan as a strategically important country in the Red Sea and Horn of Africa, areas where Ankara has expanded its political, economic and security interests over the past decade. Sudan’s location gives it relevance to Red Sea security, African trade routes and broader regional competition involving the Middle East, North Africa and East Africa.
Defense ties have long been one of the key components of Sudanese-Turkish relations. Türkiye’s growing defense industry, particularly in drones and military technology, has made Ankara an important partner for several governments seeking to modernize their armed forces.
For Khartoum, the visit comes as the army and allied forces continue operations on several fronts, including Kordofan, Darfur and Blue Nile, while seeking to rebuild military capacity after more than three years of war.
The Sudanese government has also been working to strengthen relations with several regional and international partners as part of a wider effort to secure political support, expand military cooperation and manage the economic and humanitarian consequences of the conflict.
