Egypt receives over 16,000 foreigners fleeing Sudan violence

CAIRO: Egypt has received more than 16,000 foreigners fleeing the deadly violence in neighbouring Sudan, including over 14,000 Sudanese national, the Foreign Ministry in Cairo said in a statement.

The foreigners are from 50 countries and six international organisations, Ministry spokesman Ahmed Abu Zeid said in the statement.

"The Egyptian efforts continue around the clock to facilitate the reception of citizens fleeing military clashes in Sudan, work to alleviate their suffering, and provide them with the necessary humanitarian assistance," Xinhua news agency quoted Abu Zeid as saying.

Egypt has managed to evacuate 2,679 Egyptians from Sudan as of Wednesday, official data showed.

The armed conflict that broke out between the Sudanese Armed Forves (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on April 15 has killed at least 459 people and injured more than 4,000 others so far, according to the World Health Organization.

In the latest development, the SAF and RSF have agreed to extend the existing ceasefire, which expired at midnight Thursday, for three more days.

Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, the Army's general commander, gave initial approval for the extension late on Wednesday for another 72 hours, the SAF said in a statement, reiterating it unilaterally approved the truce extension.

In response, the RSF said that it agreed "to extend the humanitarian truce for an additional 72 hours" starting at midnight Thursday.

"We reaffirm our commitment to the terms of the humanitarian truce, considering the circumstances of the Sudanese people and to facilitate the evacuation of diplomatic and foreign nationals," the statement added.

The current truce failed to stop fighting in the Sudanese capital Khartoum and other regions, but it created a lull for foreign countries to evacuate their diplomats and citizens from the conflict-ravaged country.