Egypt toughens entry for Sudanese after influx of refugees

All Sudanese, regardless of age and gender, now have to obtain advance visas to be allowed into Egypt

Smoke billows from a fire at a lumber warehouse in southern Khartoum on June 7. AFP

Egypt has toughened entry requirements for Sudanese nationals fleeing the war in their country, Sudan announced on Wednesday.

It said all Sudanese nationals, regardless of age and gender, must now obtain visas in advance from the Egyptian consulates in Wadi Halfa in northern Sudan or in the Red Sea city Port Sudan to be allowed entry into Egypt.

The Egyptian consulate in Khartoum closed shortly after the war broke out on April 15.

The regulations, which come into effect on Saturday, replace long-standing rules that allowed Sudanese women, children and males under 19 years of age or older than 49 to be given visas on arrival.

The Sudanese announcement gave no reason for the Egyptian decision.

There was no immediate word from Egyptian authorities on the new regulations, which appeared designed to steady the influx or even slow it down since the two poorly equipped land crossings with Sudan in southern Egypt have been overwhelmed.

Sudanese men arriving in Egypt say it takes three to four says to obtain a visa from the consulates in Wadi Halfa or Port Sudan.

The war in Sudan between the army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces has killed hundreds and forced more than one million people to flee their homes, of whom 425,000 found refuge in neighbouring countries, mainly Egypt, Chad and South Sudan.

Egypt has received 170,000 Sudanese refugees. Chad has another 100,000.

In Khartoum on Wednesday night, fire was seen in the area of a military base and fuel depots in the southern districts, according to witnesses.

Live footage on Arab satellite networks have shown the fire and columns of heavy black smoke.

There were also unconfirmed media reports on Wednesday that representatives of the army and the RSF have resumed indirect ceasefire talks sponsored by the US and Saudi Arabia in Jeddah.

Neither of the warring sides has confirmed it is taking part.

The talks collapsed when the army suspended its participation last week, claiming that the RSF did not respect the provisions of a series of ceasefires.

The US and Saudi Arabia later suspended the talks, saying the two sides were not serious about them and accused both of repeated breaches of the ceasefires.