Skip to main content

Captured Egypt soldiers return from Sudan as fighting rages

The Egyptian troops were captured by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces battling the Sudanese army.
ABDELMONEIM SAYED/AFP via Getty Images

As the fighting rages on for a sixth day in Sudan, despite a second cease-fire announcement, the Egyptian army said on Thursday that three flights carrying nearly 200 of its  troops who were held by paramilitary forces in Sudan have landed at an air base in Cairo.

The army said in a statement published on Facebook  that it has coordinated with the Sudanese authorities to allow the three flights to take off from an air base in Sudan.

It added that other troops arrived at the Egyptian Embassy in Khartoum on Thursday in coordination with the concerned Sudanese parties and the International Committee of the Red Cross in Sudan in preparation for their evacuation from Sudanese territories as soon as the security situation allows it.

Earlier on Wednesday, the Sudanese army said in a statement that 177 Egyptian air force members who were in the custody of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) were airlifted from the northern town of Dongola via four Egyptian military planes. The RSF, which is battling the Sudanese army, said it handed over 27 Egyptian soldiers to the Red Cross on Thursday morning.

Access the Middle East news and analysis you can trust

Join our community of Middle East readers to experience all of Al-Monitor, including 24/7 news, analyses, memos, reports and newsletters.

Subscribe

Only $100 per year.