Egypt imposes new visa entry system on Sudanese: Foreign Ministry

By Anadolu staff

ANKARA (AA) - The Egyptian Foreign Ministry announced Saturday that a new visa entry system has been initiated for Sudanese wishing to enter.

The decision came as the number of Sudanese fleeing ongoing fighting in Sudan has reached more than 200,000 since mid-April.

"These measures aim to set an organisational framework for that process after more than 50 days since the outbreak of the crisis," Foreign Ministry spokesman Ahmed Abu Zeid said in a statement.

Abu Zeid, however, said the measures "are not intended to prevent or limit the number of Sudanese citizens entering Egypt."

He added that already there are nearly 5 million Sudanese in Egypt and noted the ministry detected some groups that are involved in activities of forging entry visas to Egypt to make profits.

He added that the new system, which is based on automated visas, is aimed at combating those crimes.

The Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) paramilitary group have engaged in heavy fighting since mid-April in different areas across Sudan, including the capital, Khartoum, amid accusations against each other of starting assaults that have left hundreds dead.

*Writing by Ahmed Asmar