Controversy Surrounds Alleged Burning of Egyptian Embassy in Khartoum

Watan-A controversy has erupted over the reported burning of the Egyptian Embassy in the Sudanese capital, Khartoum, prompting an official response from the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Social media platforms have been buzzing in the past few hours with reports related to the burning of the Egyptian Embassy in Khartoum, allegedly by the Rapid Support Forces engaged in a conflict with the Sudanese army since April 2023.

Activists, both Egyptian and Sudanese, shared images they claimed depicted the Egyptian Embassy in Sudan, showing signs of actual burning and destruction. Notably, the source of these images was Arab media outlets supportive of the Egyptian regime, specifically the Saudi-owned Al Arabiya channel and the Emirati Sky News channel.

Egypt responds to the circulating images

Cairo officially responded to these reports, with the spokesperson for the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ahmed Abu Zeid, stating, “It is regrettable that some media outlets circulated old photos of damage suffered by the Egyptian embassy in Khartoum during the armed confrontations in the Sudanese capital… The event dates back to months ago, and at that time, Egypt, in coordination between the foreign ministries of both countries, sent a committee to assess the damage at the unoccupied and document-free premises.”

Detention of Egyptian soldiers in Sudan

It is worth noting that Egyptian soldiers were previously detained by the Rapid Support Forces at the beginning of the ongoing war in Sudan.

A video circulated showing Egyptian soldiers at the Merowe base in northern Sudan under the control of the Rapid Support Forces. These images sparked widespread anger on social media in Egypt.

The video showed Egyptian soldiers sitting on the ground, surrounded by members of the Rapid Support Forces. An Egyptian officer also appeared, introducing himself as the person in charge of the Egyptian soldiers at the base.

As the war continues in Sudan, Egypt had issued a statement in late December 2023, urging its citizens to promptly leave Sudan and avoid traveling to the country under any circumstances.

This statement was made by the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, announcing the “evacuation of a number of stranded Egyptian students in Wad Madani, Gezira State, Sudan.”