Egyptian soldiers captured in Sudan evacuated to Cairo

KHARTOUM, Sudan

The first Egyptian Armed Forces personnel apprehended in Sudan have returned to Cairo on board the Egyptian Air Force plane.

The soldiers were apprehended on Saturday at Merowe Airport in northern Sudan.

According to the Sudanese Armed Forces on Wednesday, the 177 Egyptian soldiers captured by Sudanese paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) were evacuated on four Egyptian military transport planes.

On Monday, Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi chaired a meeting of the Supreme Council of the Egyptian Armed Forces. The meeting discussed the situation of the Egyptian troops apprehended in Sudan.

The president stated that Egyptian troops are present in Sudan for training purposes only and not to support any party. He stressed that the situation in Sudan is an internal matter and Egypt’s position is consistent in non-interfering in countries' internal affairs.

“Our troops there are safe, and we have confirmed their wellbeing,” Al-Sisi indicated.

He added that Egypt is in constant communication with the warring parties in Sudan in a bid to reach a solution and de-escalate the situation.

On Saturday, Egyptian Armed Forces said that it closely follows the situation in Sudan in the framework of the presence of Egyptian forces to conduct joint training with their Sudanese counterparts. The Egyptian Army spokesperson said that coordination is underway with the concerned authorities in Sudan to ensure the safety of these Egyptian troops.

Clashes erupted north of Sudan’s capital Khartoum on Wednesday night, upending a temporary ceasefire between the Sudanese Army and its rival, the Rapid Support Force, just hours after it was struck.

The two factions have been battling for days, and wednesday saw fierce fighting in central Khartoum as well as serious clashes at the capital’s main airport, which has been closed since Saturday.