It’s published
•update
Hundreds of people evacuated by the battle in Sudan gathered at Cairo’s central station on Monday to begin their free journey home.
The Egyptian government is funding train rides to Khartoum, the capital of Sudan. It was recently recaptured by the Sudanese troops from its rival, the Paramilitary Rapid Support Force (RSF).
Sudan has been involved in a civil war since April 2023, and the power struggle between the Army and the RSF has caused a nearly nationwide humanitarian crisis.
More than 40,000 people were killed, and the war caused one of the world’s largest evacuation emergency.
Egypt hosts the largest number of Sudanese refugees from the war, with more than 1.5 million people who fled north across the border.
Over seven million people were evacuated internally as the war involved most of the country.
The RSF ruled Khartoum at the start of the battle in 2023 and held the capital until May 20th declared the full recapture.
Khartoum has been destroyed in large part, including the Presidential Palace and the airport, but it is slowly revitalizing as residents return and the market reopens.
Electricity and basic services are not fully functional in the city.
The journey from Cairo to Khartoum is around 2,080 km and includes a 12-hour train ride to the city of Aswan, Egypt.
People packed their lives with small suitcases, just like they were filling up trains on Monday.
Some people cried out with “overwhelming feelings” including sadness and joy over leaving Egypt and returning home, Sudanese journalist Asem Al-Taieb said he was one of the train travelers.
“I am happy because I am finally back to my family and my children,” said awatef al hassan, from Omdurman, who originally returned with my daughter.
Humanitarian crisis
UNICEF, head of the UN Children’s Agency, previously said that the conflict in Sudan has created the world’s biggest humanitarian crisis.
The United Nations and other aid agencies previously used figures of 20,000 confirmed deaths, but some officials say the death toll could reach 150,000.
Millions are being forced out of their homes, and hunger is being wiped out of the country.
An unstable year
Sudan, a northeastern African nation, has been unstable since 2019 when a mass uprising forced the removal of longtime dictatorial president Omar al-Bashir.
The short-lived transition to democracy was derailed when Army Secretary Abdel Fatta Bahan and General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, also known as RSF Head Hemedi, worked together to lead the military coup in 2021.
However, the military costumes they ordered began fighting each other in 2023 as each had a hard time seizing power.
Since the war began, both the military and the RSF have faced allegations of human rights abuses, with both sides denying the allegations.
Additional sources •AP
