Over 5,000 Egyptian students stuck in Sudan, send distress calls

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
19 Apr 2023 01:11

More than 10,000 Egyptian citizens in total are calling on their government to secure their safe return to their country as the war in Sudan intensifies.

Sudanese Armed Forces patroling Khartoum in a military vehicle (AFP)

Over ten thousand Egyptians in Sudan, at least half of whom are students pursuing their studies in the country's universities, released a distress call to their country to secure their safe return after being caught in the crossfire of the warring parties.

Some of these students spoke to the media and called on their government to return them to Egypt as soon as possible.

Ambassador Amr Abbas, assistant minister of Immigration for Egyptians Abroad Affairs, said the Ministry is in continuous contact with its citizens in Sudan, pointing out that there are 5,000 students in the country out of 10,000 Egyptians in total.

The Ambassador told reporters that three communication channels have been established with the Egyptian community in Sudan. The first tool of communication is a platform dedicated to this purpose, the second one is through Egypt's embassy in Sudan, while the third is through the Zoom video app where Minister of Immigration, Suha El-Gendy, held an online meeting with thousands of Egyptians stuck there, stressing that contact with them is secured around the clock.

Clashes broke out earlier on Friday, culminating with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) allegedly claiming control of the Republican Palace in Khartoum and the airports in Khartoum and Merowe. The national army denied the presidential palace's takeover and said it was bombing RSF bases near Khartoum.

According to Volker Perthes, the UN Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Sudan, more than 1,800 people have been injured, and the death toll from the conflict in Sudan has surpassed 180.

"More than 180 fatalities, more than 1,800 injured, including three colleagues from World Food Program, who have been killed while trying to serve the Sudanese people," Perthes stated on Tuesday.

Many countries offered to mediate, and the regional African bloc Intergovernmental Authority on Development plans to send the presidents of Kenya, South Sudan, and Djibouti as soon as possible to reconcile Sudanese groups in conflict, Kenyan President William Ruto's office tweeted.

The Sudanese Armed Forces announced earlier that they have proceeded to the final stage of the "special military operation" by "chasing the enemy, whose affiliates are fleeing everywhere, leaving behind their weapons, equipment, and the wounded".

While the Sudanese army and RSF agreed to open temporary safe humanitarian corridors and announce a 24-hour ceasefire in an UN-brokered agreement, gun fights broke out again just 30 minutes into the truce period.