Egypt Launches Free Train Rides for Sudanese Refugees Returning Home Amid War’s Lull

By iNewsAfrica Staff Reporter

Cairo, Egypt – In a powerful gesture of regional solidarity, the Egyptian government has launched a humanitarian initiative offering free train rides to Sudanese refugees eager to return home after more than a year of devastating civil war.

Hundreds of Sudanese nationals gathered at Cairo’s historic Ramses Station this week, boarding trains bound for Aswan in southern Egypt. From there, they will continue via ferry and bus across the border into war-scarred Sudan—many of them headed toward Khartoum, recently reclaimed by the Sudanese Armed Forces after fierce battles with the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces.

Egypt, currently hosting over 1.5 million Sudanese refugees, is facilitating the journey at no cost, helping families reunite and restart their lives after months of displacement.

“I am happy because I am finally going back to my family and my children,” said one woman, visibly moved as she prepared to make the 2,000-kilometre journey back to Omdurman.

The initiative underscores Cairo’s evolving role in regional humanitarian response efforts and offers a beacon of hope amid Sudan’s ongoing crisis. Since the conflict erupted in April 2023, over 7 million people have been displaced and more than 40,000 lives lost, making it one of the world’s worst humanitarian disasters in recent years.

Egyptian officials say the train initiative will continue in the coming weeks, depending on demand and safety conditions along the route. While Sudan’s capital remains under fragile control, returnees are optimistic, many citing a longing for home and a desire to rebuild their communities.

iNewsAfrica will continue to monitor this developing story as Sudan’s long road to recovery begins.