Sudanese Crowd Border Crossings to Return Home from Egypt

Sudan Events – Agencies

The number of land trips bringing Sudanese citizens back from Egypt has surged, following recent victories by the Sudanese army and its reclaiming of the capital, Khartoum, according to officials involved in the “Voluntary Return” initiatives affiliated with the Sudanese Embassy in Cairo.

Border crossings between Egypt and Sudan have witnessed a buildup of buses transporting Sudanese returnees. Video clips shared by Sudanese media on Sunday showed dozens of buses lined up, carrying families who had sought refuge in Egyptian cities after the outbreak of the internal war.

The internal conflict in Sudan, which began in mid-April 2023 between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), has displaced thousands of Sudanese both within and outside the country. Official statistics indicate that around 1.2 million Sudanese fled to Egypt.

Recent victories by the Sudanese army have led to a rise in return journeys from Egypt. According to Mohamed Suleiman, founder of the “Returning to the Land of the Good” initiative—an effort supported by the Sudanese Embassy in Cairo—“the number of buses has doubled to about 200 daily, transporting around 10,000 Sudanese residents of Egypt.” He also noted that Egyptian authorities have facilitated the process, including allowing buses to travel directly from Cairo to Wadi Halfa in northern Sudan.

Suleiman told Asharq Al-Awsat that the return trips are being organized from three governorates: Cairo, Alexandria, and Luxor. He added that both Egyptian and Sudanese authorities have permitted entry through the two border crossings, Arqeen and Ashkit, to ease congestion caused by the high number of returning vehicles. “There are waiting lists of those wishing to return, and the initiative is working to organize their return according to priority,” he explained.

Egypt and Sudan are connected by two land crossings—Arqeen and Ashkit—which are essential for trade and the movement of people between the two nations.

The voluntary return initiative, supported by the Sudanese Embassy, provides free return trips for those who cannot afford them. Suleiman added that Sudanese businessmen have contributed to funding the return of many.

The number of returnees has overwhelmed the Wadi Halfa area due to a shortage of buses available to transport them further into Sudan, according to a report from the Sudan News Agency (SUNA) on Sunday. The executive director of Halfa locality, Abu Obeida Mirghani, called for better coordination between return initiatives and Sudanese authorities to prevent internal congestion.

Footage shared by Sudanese newspapers on social media showed buses packed with returnees from Egypt.

Egyptian and Sudanese social media users responded positively to the increase in return trips, congratulating the Sudanese on the relative improvement in conditions.

Many Sudanese expressed their gratitude to Egypt for hosting thousands of people fleeing the civil war for over two years.

Egyptian authorities are also offering several facilities to ease the return process, including allowing undocumented Sudanese to return home, according to Sudanese researcher Salah Khalil, who lives in Egypt. He mentioned that many Sudanese families who own businesses or property in Egypt have begun returning to their home regions, including Gezira and Khartoum states.

One major reason for the spike in returnees is the closure of Sudanese schools in Egypt, Khalil explained. “With education having resumed in many Sudanese states, families are choosing to return,” he told Asharq Al-Awsat.

Egyptian authorities closed down Sudanese schools in June of last year until they could meet legal requirements to operate. Only the “Friendship School” affiliated with the Sudanese Embassy in Cairo has been allowed to resume educational activities.

Khalil also highlighted a Sudanese national airline initiative that offers 50% discounts on return flights to Port Sudan, encouraging many Sudanese in Egypt to go back.

The Sudanese government recently announced incentives for citizens seeking to return, including a national airline initiative that provides a 50% discount on 50 seats per flight for returnees, as well as free tickets for the children of martyrs returning from Cairo, according to a statement by Sudan Airways last week.