The paramilitary force that is fighting Sudan's army in Khartoum and across much of the country said it has released more than 200 Egyptian soldiers, including 177 air force personnel, captured in the north of the country last weekend.
Egyptian security officials said at least 50 troops were flown to Egypt in two batches, on board army transport planes.
The men, captured at a military base in the northern Sudanese town of Meroe, were taken to Khartoum earlier on Wednesday by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, RSF.
The Sudanese military said late on Wednesday that 177 Egyptian Air Force personnel were flown to Egypt on board four military aircraft, after they were released by the RSF.
The aircraft took off from the city of Dongola, in northern Sudan.
The Egyptian military did not announce the evacuation but said earlier on Wednesday that it was coordinating with authorities in Sudan to secure the return of the troops.
An RSF statement that had announced the troops' movement to Khartoum coincided with the emergence of footage purporting to show Sudanese soldiers celebrating the recapture from the RSF of the Meroe base.
Egypt has said its soldiers were in Sudan as part of a training mission under a military protocol signed with Sudan and denied that it was taking sides in the conflict.
Cairo had repeatedly called for the soldiers' repatriation, but the RSF maintained they would be returned to Egypt when circumstances permitted.
“We would like to assure the families and the government of Egypt that the soldiers who were at the Meroe base are all well and being taken care of,” said the RSF statement released after the men were flown home.
“They will be repatriated when the circumstances allow that and according to the conditions the country is going through.”
A video clip posted online last week showed RSF fighters forcing a group of Egyptian soldiers to crawl on their stomachs. An RSF soldier was seen hitting one of them and heard abusing them.
The clip triggered an outcry in Egypt, with social media users airing their anger and demanding retribution.
President Abdel Fattah El Sisi's government forged close military ties with Sudan following the removal from power in 2019 of dictator Omar Al Bashir, whose 29-year rule saw relations between Cairo and Khartoum often fraught with tension.
Forces from the two neighbours frequently held joint war games.
Egypt has traditionally viewed its neighbour to the south as an extension of its national security sphere.
However, its latest endeavours to establish close relations with Khartoum were in part motivated by Cairo's wish to put pressure on Ethiopia, which is building a dam on the Nile that Egypt says threatens its vital share of the river's water.
Sudan's army chief Gen Abdel Fattah Al Burhan has visited Egypt at least three times since Al Bashir's removal and was accorded a head-of-state reception, complete with a guard of honour.
In contrast, RSF commander Gen Mohamed Dagalo has visited once in the same time frame.
Mr El Sisi this week reviewed the conflict in Sudan with his top commanders, saying later in televised comments that Egypt was prepared to mediate and that his government was in contact with the warring sides.
Before they were sent home, Mr El Sisi described the captured Egyptian contingent as a “token” force deployed there for joint exercises.
“This must be clear to all of us as a nation that that contingent was not there to support one side against the other,” he said. “That talk is nonsense.”
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
Take Me Apart
Kelela
(Warp)
TCL INFO
Teams:
Punjabi Legends Owners: Inzamam-ul-Haq and Intizar-ul-Haq; Key player: Misbah-ul-Haq
Pakhtoons Owners: Habib Khan and Tajuddin Khan; Key player: Shahid Afridi
Maratha Arabians Owners: Sohail Khan, Ali Tumbi, Parvez Khan; Key player: Virender Sehwag
Bangla Tigers Owners: Shirajuddin Alam, Yasin Choudhary, Neelesh Bhatnager, Anis and Rizwan Sajan; Key player: TBC
Colombo Lions Owners: Sri Lanka Cricket; Key player: TBC
Kerala Kings Owners: Hussain Adam Ali and Shafi Ul Mulk; Key player: Eoin Morgan
Venue Sharjah Cricket Stadium
Format 10 overs per side, matches last for 90 minutes
When December 14-17
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
The specs: 2017 Maserati Quattroporte
Price, base / as tested Dh389,000 / Dh559,000
Engine 3.0L twin-turbo V8
Transmission Eight-speed automatic
Power 530hp @ 6,800rpm
Torque 650Nm @ 2,000 rpm
Fuel economy, combined 10.7L / 100km
Ticket prices
General admission Dh295 (under-three free)
Buy a four-person Family & Friends ticket and pay for only three tickets, so the fourth family member is free
Buy tickets at: wbworldabudhabi.com/en/tickets
THE%20SWIMMERS
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESally%20El-Hosaini%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENathalie%20Issa%2C%20Manal%20Issa%2C%20Ahmed%20Malek%20and%20Ali%20Suliman%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E4%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
ADCC AFC Women’s Champions League Group A fixtures
October 3: v Wuhan Jiangda Women’s FC
October 6: v Hyundai Steel Red Angels Women’s FC
October 9: v Sabah FA
Ain Issa camp:
- Established in 2016
- Houses 13,309 people, 2,092 families, 62 per cent children
- Of the adult population, 49 per cent men, 51 per cent women (not including foreigners annexe)
- Most from Deir Ezzor and Raqqa
- 950 foreigners linked to ISIS and their families
- NGO Blumont runs camp management for the UN
- One of the nine official (UN recognised) camps in the region
Yahya Al Ghassani's bio
Date of birth: April 18, 1998
Playing position: Winger
Clubs: 2015-2017 – Al Ahli Dubai; March-June 2018 – Paris FC; August – Al Wahda
SCHEDULE
December 8: UAE v USA (Sharjah Cricket Stadium)
December 9: USA v Scotland (Sharjah Cricket Stadium)
December 11: UAE v Scotland (Sharjah Cricket Stadium)
December 12: UAE v USA (ICC Academy Oval 1)
December 14: USA v Scotland (ICC Academy Oval 1)
December 15: UAE v Scotland (ICC Academy Oval 1)
All matches start at 10am
WWE Super ShowDown results
Seth Rollins beat Baron Corbin to retain his WWE Universal title
Finn Balor defeated Andrade to stay WWE Intercontinental Championship
Shane McMahon defeated Roman Reigns
Lars Sullivan won by disqualification against Lucha House Party
Randy Orton beats Triple H
Braun Strowman beats Bobby Lashley
Kofi Kingston wins against Dolph Zigggler to retain the WWE World Heavyweight Championship
Mansoor Al Shehail won the 50-man Battle Royal
The Undertaker beat Goldberg
How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
- Submit their request
What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
- Should have a live feed of the drone flight
- Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The specs
Engine: 3.8-litre twin-turbo V8
Power: 611bhp
Torque: 620Nm
Transmission: seven-speed automatic
Price: upon application
On sale: now
World Sevens Series standing after Dubai
1. South Africa
2. New Zealand
3. England
4. Fiji
5. Australia
6. Samoa
7. Kenya
8. Scotland
9. France
10. Spain
11. Argentina
12. Canada
13. Wales
14. Uganda
15. United States
16. Russia
