The Suffering of Sudanese Returnees at the Argeen Border Crossing Worsens Amid Overcrowding and Deaths

Hundreds of Sudanese returnees from Egypt are stranded at the Argeen Border Crossing due to a severe shortage of buses transporting them to their home areas. Many have been sleeping on the ground for several days around the crossing area, leading to the deaths of three people yesterday, Sunday.

According to witnesses, hundreds of stranded returnees are facing extremely harsh living conditions, suffering from shortages of water and food, as well as a lack of shelter, while temperatures are reaching nearly 50 degrees Celsius.

Those stranded also complain of being misled by brokers and transport companies after discovering that the tickets they purchased only covered transportation to the border crossing and expired upon arrival there, contrary to prior agreements before departure. Meanwhile, ticket prices to Khartoum and other Sudanese cities have risen sharply.

In the days leading up to Eid al-Adha, there has been a noticeable increase in the pace of voluntary returns of Sudanese nationals from Egypt under organized voluntary return programs.

The committee overseeing the process confirmed that return operations will continue in the coming period in coordination with official authorities and relevant organizations to provide transportation and humanitarian support for returnees from neighboring countries, especially Egypt, which hosted large numbers of Sudanese during the war period.