Egypt begins free train rides for Sudanese refugees returning to Khartoum
Many of the refugees carried their belongings in small suitcases and plastic bags, with some visibly emotional as they prepared to leave Egypt after more than a year of displacement.
Egypt has launched free train rides to help hundreds of Sudanese refugees return home as the Sudanese Armed Forces regained control of Khartoum from the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
On Monday, the BBC reported that hundreds of Sudanese refugees displaced by the war in Sudan gathered at Cairo's main train station to board the first trains heading south, as part of a government-funded initiative to support voluntary returns.
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The journey from Cairo to Khartoum, which spans approximately 2,080 kilometres, begins with a 12-hour train ride to Aswan in southern Egypt, where travellers will then switch to ferries and buses to continue into Sudan.
Many of the refugees carried their belongings in small suitcases and plastic bags, with some visibly emotional as they prepared to leave Egypt after more than a year of displacement.
Since Sudan's civil war began in April 2023, over 11 million people have been displaced, with more than 7 million displaced internally and approximately 1.5 million seeking refuge in Egypt.
The conflict has claimed over 40,000 lives and created one of the world's worst humanitarian crises, with aid efforts crippled by violence and restricted access.
In 2024, Sudan recorded the highest number of internally displaced persons (IDPs) ever documented in a single country, with 11.6 million people forced to flee their homes amid the intensifying civil war.
The Sudanese Army, under the leadership of General Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan, regained full control of Khartoum about four months ago. Since then, the government has ramped up efforts to restore basic services, repair public infrastructure, and reassert its authority over the capital.
Over the weekend, the army chief landed his presidential plane at Khartoum International Airport on Saturday. This was his first such landing since the civil war erupted, highlighting the military's renewed control over the capital.
Local media reports suggest that Khartoum, which suffered widespread destruction including damage to the presidential palace, is slowly coming back to life as residents return and markets begin to reopen.
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