Sudan's RSF says it handed over 27 Egyptian soldiers to International Red Cross

Sudan's paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) said on Thursday it had handed over 27 Egyptian soldiers it had been holding to the International Committee of the Red Cross.

The RSF had detained the soldiers after storming Merowe airbase in northern Sudan, where they had been part of routine joint military exercises between the two countries.

"In appreciation of the historic and special brotherhood relationships that bind the people of Sudan and Egypt, and in fulfillment of their declared commitment to preserve the sisterhoods of Egypt, and in compliance with international laws and customs, 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. They soldiers were delivered today were at Merowe Military Base and were kept by the Rapid Support Forces from 15 to 20 April 2023 and were in excellent health until the moment of their handover with all their belongings to the International Committee of the Red Cross," the group said in Facebook.

The statement added: "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, and also thank the efforts of the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and all sister and friend countries that contacted the Rapid Support Command in this regard, and a special thanks to the International Committee of the Red Cross for cooperation and coordination."

Reuters could not immediately confirm whether the ICRC had been involved in any handover of the soldiers. 

Egypt's President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi on Monday said Egyptian troops held in Sudan were merely there to conduct exercises with their Sudanese counterparts and not to support any of the warring parties.

Earlier on Thursday, the Sudanese army said 177 Egyptian Air Force troops were airlifted back to Egypt after being held in the northern Sudanese town of Merowe.