RSF in Sudan claims to have given the International Red Cross 27 Egyptian troops

The paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) of Sudan reported on Thursday that they had released to the International Committee of the Red Cross 27 Egyptian troops they had been keeping.

The troops were taken into custody by the RSF when they overran the Merowe airfield in northern Sudan, where they had been participating in regular bilateral military drills.

“The Rapid Support Forces, on Thursday morning, April 20, 2023, handed over (27) military members of the sister Arab Republic of Egypt to the International Red Cross in appreciation of the historical and unique brotherhood relationships that bind the people of Sudan and Egypt, in fulfilment of their declared commitment to preserve the sisterhoods of Egypt, and in compliance with international laws and customs. The troops who were handed over to the International Committee of the Red Cross today were at the Merowe Military Base and were housed there from April 15 to April 20, 2023. They were in great health at the time of their handover, the organisation reported on Facebook.

“The Rapid Support Forces would like to extend its thanks to the Government of the Arab Republic of Egypt led by His Excellency President Abdul Fattah El-Sisi, as well as to the efforts of the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and all sister and friend countries that contacted the Rapid Support Command in this regard,” the statement continued. “A special thanks to the International Committee of the Red Cross for cooperation and coordination.”

Reuters was unable to quickly establish whether the ICRC was engaged in any transfers of the soldiers.

Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi, the president of Egypt, stated on Monday that Egyptian forces stationed in Sudan were just there to train alongside their Sudanese counterparts and were not there to back any of the combatants.

Earlier on Thursday, the Sudanese army said that 177 Egyptian Air Force personnel had been flown back to Egypt after being detained in the northern Sudanese town of Merowe.