Pakistan has had final negotiations to sell a deal of $1.5 billion to provide arms and jets to Sudan, a former senior official in Pakistan Air Force and three sources indicated, giving a significant boost to the army of Sudan, fighting the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces.

Their war has caused the worst humanitarian crisis of the globe over 2-1/2 years, with myriad foreign interests drawn, and the danger that the strategic Red Sea nation, a giant gold producer, will be atomized.

The agreement with Pakistan includes 10 Karakoram-8 light attackers, over 200 drones to provide scouting and kamikaze strikes, as well as advanced air defenses, according to two of the three sources with knowledge of the affair, who requested anonymity.

“It was a done deal,” said Aamir Masood, who is a retired Pakistani air marshal, but still kept informed about air force affairs.

It also has Karakoram-8 jets, Super Mushshak training aircraft, and could have the coveted JF-17 fighters, which it had co-developed with China and made in Pakistan, though it did not provide any numbers or a delivery timeline.

Immediately, Pakistan did not reply to the requests to comment by its military and defence ministry.

The army spokesman of Sudan did not give an immediate response when a message was sent to him asking him to comment.

Pakistani aid, particularly drones and jets, may aid the army of Sudan to regain the air dominance it enjoyed at the beginning of its war with the RSF, which has relied continuously on drones to capture more land at the expense of its army.

The army of Sudan accuses the RSF of having the weapons being supplied by the United Arab Emirates, which has denied providing weapons.

Possible Saudi support 

The sources were not used to indicate how the deal was being funded, though Masood indicated that there were possibilities that the funds could be through Saudi Arabia.

He said that the procurement of Pakistani military equipment and training may receive support from Saudi Arabia in favour of all the favourable regimes in the Gulf.

According to one of the sources, the Saudis were the ones who brokered the deal, but indicated that they were not paying for the weapons. According to another source, Saudi Arabia was not contributing money.

According to reports by Reuters, Islamabad is negotiating a defence agreement with Riyadh worth between 2 and 4 billion dollars.

Masood indicates that the weapons to Sudan could be part of such an agreement, but does not indicate that he is talking to Saudi Arabia.

A request for comment was not immediately answered by the Saudi government media office.

The U.S.-led quad that consists of nations that have sought to push the Sudanese army and the RSF to peace talks includes Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE.

Saudi Arabia was also requested by the army chief of Sudan, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, to join the war in recent visits, according to the Sudanese and Egyptian sources.

The cities of Riyadh and Abu Dhabi are entangled in a massive feud due to what has happened in Yemen recently.

The two giants in the Gulf have contrasting views on various volatile matters concerning the Middle East, geopolitics, and oil production.

Their opposition exploded into the open with a move by UAE-helmed southern Yemeni separatists in early December, which led them into a clash with Saudi-backed forces.

Pakistan has ambitions of defence.

The deal is also a feather in the rising defence industry of Pakistan that has attracted increased interest and investment, especially following the use of its jets during a conflict with India last year.

In early December, Islamabad reached a deal on weapon sales worth over $4 billion with the Libyan National Army, authorities stated, on one of the largest weapons deals ever by the South Asian nation featuring JF-17 fighter jets and training aircraft.

Improved relations with Dhaka have also seen Pakistan discuss a defence agreement with Bangladesh, which may involve Super Mushshak training jets and JF-17s.

The rising industry in Pakistan is viewed by the government as a boon to achieve a stable economic position in the long term.

A scramble to avoid a sovereign default in 2023 put Pakistan on a short-term IMF programme, and now this country is in a $7-billion programme. IMF gave it support following financial and deposit rollovers by Saudi Arabia and other Gulf supporters.