'Guardians of the Nile' Sudanese and Egyptian joint military exercises - in pictures

Military drills seen as a warning to Ethiopia over starting operation of its giant Nile dam

Egyptian snipers in action during the 'Guardians of the Nile' joint Egyptian-Sudanese military exercise in Sudan. Six days of war games were held against a backdrop of rising tension with Ethiopia. EPA

Sudanese and Egyptian armed forces take part in the "Guardians of the Nile" joint military exercises in Sudan's southern Kordofan state. AFP

A helicopter taking part in the "Guardians of the Nile" war games. Ground, air and naval forces joined in the exercises. AFP

Paratroops take part in the "Guardians of the Nile" exercises held by the Egyptian and Sudanese military over six days in Sudan. AFP

Sudanese troops mass during their joint military exercises with the Egyptian armed forces. AFP

Paratroopers from Egypt and Sudan at the 'Guardians of the Nile' joint exercises supervised by the Sudanese Chief of Staff Muhammad Al Hassan and the Egyptian Chief of Staff Mohamed Farid. EPA

A member of the Sudanese Army ears a skull-emblazoned face mask at the war games with Egypt. EPA

Sudanese ground forces prepare for the 'Guardians of the Nile' exercises. Egyptian and Sudanese leaders made it clear that the drills were meant to send a message to Ethiopia that they were ready to intervene militarily in a dispute over a dam on the Nile. EPA

Sudanese Chief of Staff Muhammad Al Hassan (left) hands over a Sudanese-made weapon to Egyptian Chief of Staff Muhammad Farid during the 'Guardians of the Nile' military exercises in southern Sudan. EPA

An explosion during the six-day 'Guardians of the Nile' military exercises held jointly by Egypt and Sudan. EPA

A parachutist lands with Sudanese and Egyptian flags during the 'Guardians of the Nile' exercises in Sudan. EPA

Sudanese and Egyptian armed forces take part in the "Guardians of the Nile" joint military drill in Sudan's southern Kordofan state. EPA

Sudanese and Egyptian armed forces take part in the "Guardians of the Nile" joint military drill in Sudan's southern Kordofan state. AFP

Explosions in the desert as the Sudanese and Egyptian armed forces hold six days of joint manoeuvres in Sudan. AFP

Troops scramble around an Egyptian Chinook helicopter during the joint "Guardians of the Nile" military exercises with Sudan. AFP

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