World
Stranded: Egyptian travel blogger trapped in Sudan conflict
![Stranded: Egyptian travel blogger trapped in Sudan conflict Stranded: Egyptian travel blogger trapped in Sudan conflict](https://www.aljazeera.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/IMG_3034-1682167672.jpg?resize=1920,1440)
When Ahmed El-Badawy woke as much as the sound of gunfire and heavy artillery in Sudan’s capital, Khartoum, the Egyptian journey content material creator didn’t assume he would quickly be stranded in a flat with little meals or water and unable to go away.
It was round 9am on April 15 when the primary pictures have been fired and plumes of darkish smoke started rising over the town. Combating had damaged out between the Sudanese military and the highly effective paramilitary Speedy Assist Forces (RSF).
A number of days earlier, locals had instructed him about tensions between the rival forces within the northern metropolis of Merowe, however everybody brushed it off as mundane in a rustic used to pressure for the reason that outbreak of fashionable protests in 2019 compelled an finish to former President Omar al-Bashir’s 30-year rule.
Merowe was El-Badawy’s meant vacation spot that Saturday. The 23-year-old had deliberate to go for the UNESCO world heritage website and its Nubian pyramids about 420km (260 miles) to the north. Sudan is residence to 200 of the gorgeous constructions, which mark the capital of the traditional Kushite kingdom.
Surprising journey content material
El-Badawy, who arrived in Khartoum every week earlier than the outbreak, is now trapped as flights have been halted from Khartoum’s airport, nowa warzone the place a number of plane have been destroyed.
The violence has killed at the least 413 individuals and wounded greater than 3,550, in accordance with the World Well being Group. The Sudanese Docs Union says 70 % of hospitals in Sudan are out of service.
A number of ceasefires have did not take impact, and the warring generals – the military’s Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and the RSF’s Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, broadly often known as Hemedti – have rejected negotiations.
Regardless of the uncertainty and concern, El-Badawy continued to publish some updates for his followers and says he wouldn’t have modified a factor about his journey to Sudan which, like his homeland, straddles the Nile River.
“Even when I’d identified … I might’ve come and stayed. It’s at all times been a dream of mine to doc individuals’s each day lives, even when in battle,” he instructed Al Jazeera.
![Sudan](https://www.aljazeera.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/IMG_3317-1682168450.jpg?w=770&resize=770%2C506)
A particular nation
El-Badawy selected Sudan as his sixtieth vacation spot. “I needed it to be a particular one, so I selected Sudan,” he mentioned by telephone from Khartoum.
“How might I’ve been to so many locations, I assumed, and never have visited the one proper on our [Egypt’s] doorstep? We share a border, historical past and tradition, and but I knew little or no about Sudan,” he mentioned.
El-Badawy, who has tons of of 1000’s of followers on YouTube and Instagram, takes delight in showcasing each day life and the individuals of every nation, particularly within the Arab world, a area that international media covers principally when it comes to conflict and battle fairly than its individuals, wealthy historical past and various cultures.
“Individuals have so many misconceptions about different nations, and that’s what I’m out to alter,” he mentioned.
El-Badawy was planning to journey throughout Sudan to Eritrea by the tip of April and spent his first week visiting “each a part of Khartoum” – just like the 200-year-old Souq Omdurman in Khartoum’s twin metropolis – filming alongside the banks of the Nile, and sampling Sudanese delicacies.
![Sudan Egypt blogger](https://www.aljazeera.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/IMG_3193-1682168284.jpg?w=770&resize=770%2C578)
“I fell in love with kisra,” he mentioned of the Sudanese flatbread product of fermented sorghum flour that’s eaten with quite a lot of stews.
“Sudanese are extraordinarily beneficiant,” he mentioned. “I’ve tried so many conventional dishes,” he added, describing a Sudanese Ramadan custom the place individuals block roads with their vehicles simply earlier than sundown to power passers-by to interrupt their fasts with them.
“[T]he spotlight of my time right here has been the individuals. It’s at all times the individuals,” El-Badawy mentioned.
“Regardless of the robust financial disaster and ongoing instability, everybody’s been nothing however form and welcoming,” El-Badawy mentioned, explaining that he has acquired at the least 500 messages on his Instagram account from locals providing to assist for the reason that preventing broke out.
Sudan’s economic system has been mired in a disaster that led to al-Bashir’s overthrow and has continued since, resulting in rising inflation, a pointy devaluation of the forex, and rising poverty and unemployment.
![Sudan blogger](https://www.aljazeera.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/IMG_3428-1682168182.jpg?w=770&resize=770%2C627)
Ready it out
Like most individuals caught up within the preventing, El-Badawy has spent the previous week principally cooped as much as keep away from the violence.
After two days in rented lodging, he moved to a household pal’s flat in a safer a part of the town that, in contrast to different areas, nonetheless had electrical energy and working water.
“We’ve simply stayed indoors, solely venturing out to get some groceries and water from the grocery store,” El-Badawy mentioned.
He defined that discovering staples like bread, water and canned meals has turn out to be more durable as store cabinets are stripped and costs surge.
“Sudan, which was already surprisingly costly, is turning into increasingly more unaffordable,” he mentioned. “I actually really feel for the individuals.”
El-Badawy, who can be a French nationwide, has been in contact with the French and Egyptian embassies in Khartoum. Each suggested him to remain residence till additional discover, as did his household.
El-Badawy has been by way of different troubles on his travels. He was in Palestine when Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh was shot and killed by Israeli forces whereas reporting on an Israeli raid in Jenin in Might final 12 months.
He joined the Palestinian pallbearers who have been attacked by Israeli police as they carried Abu Akleh’s coffin in a funeral procession.
He has additionally been close to an air raid over Aleppo when he visited Syria final 12 months and spent an evening in an Iraqi army base to keep away from being kidnapped by ISIL (ISIS) when he hitchhiked from Baghdad to Jerusalem.
Though the battle in Sudan has been intensifying, El-Badawy says he isn’t afraid.
“I simply really feel sorry for the Sudanese individuals for going by way of this,” he mentioned. “However no matter occurs, I’m completely happy to be amongst them.”
‘Time to go away’
Every week into the preventing, El-Badawy nonetheless held onto hope that the state of affairs would possibly settle down and he would have the ability to resume his journey.
However by Saturday night, loads had modified. Web and electrical energy in his space had gone out, leaving it in full darkness as heavy artillery boomed.
![Sudan conflict](https://www.aljazeera.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/img_3101_720-1682238162.jpg?w=537&resize=537%2C426)
When El-Badawy and his mates went for a brief automotive journey, he mentioned, they have been shot at by RSF forces and stopped and searched by the paramilitary group at three checkpoints throughout Khartoum.
“The RSF appears to be answerable for half of Khartoum,” El-Badawy mentioned. “It’s getting harmful. I fear the state of affairs will develop right into a road conflict.”
Though the French and Egyptian embassies haven’t been in contact, El-Badawy plans to take one of many buses leaving Khartoum and head north to Egypt. He says the non-public corporations working the buses have elevated the worth of tickets as much as tenfold.
“I got here right here from Aswan [in southern Egypt] on certainly one of these buses for $15. Now the tickets are promoting for $70 to $150 every,” he mentioned.
“I didn’t need to depart Sudan,” he mentioned. “However sadly, it’s time to go.”
![Sudan Egypt blogger](https://www.aljazeera.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/IMG_3060-2-1682167873.jpg?w=770&resize=770%2C662)
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Trump FBI pick Kash Patel clears Senate panel, headed for confirmation vote
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Russia claims Trump, Putin talk brought world from 'brink of Apocalypse,' EU warns of 'dirty tricks'
![Russia claims Trump, Putin talk brought world from 'brink of Apocalypse,' EU warns of 'dirty tricks' Russia claims Trump, Putin talk brought world from 'brink of Apocalypse,' EU warns of 'dirty tricks'](https://static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2025/01/zelenskyy-putin-trump.png)
Russia’s deputy chairman of the Security Council, Dmitry Medvedev, on Thursday claimed that the recent discussion held between President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin brought the world back from the “brink of the Apocalypse.”
“It just so happened at some point that the U.S. appointed itself the country-in-chief on our planet with the exclusive right to wage a hybrid war against our people, to mete out justice and grant pardons. It was a grave mistake, which nearly wiped humanity off the face of the earth,” he said, without mentioning that the West united behind Ukraine against Russia after Moscow launched the biggest invasion of a European nation since World War II.
“This is a lesson that must be learned by the arrogant American elites and the so-called deep state,” he continued. “The quicker our adversaries realize this, the better.
“If they don’t… the Doomsday Clock will keep on ticking towards midnight,” he added, threatening nuclear escalation.
President Donald Trump speaks to reporters from the White House after he spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin on ending the war with Ukraine on Feb. 12, 2025. (AP/Alex Brandon)
UKRAINE ADVOCATES TEAR INTO HEGSETH FOR GIVING RUSSIA ‘CONCESSIONS’ AT START OF PEACE TALKS: ‘BIGGEST GIFT’
Trump once again prompted geopolitical shock waves following his Wednesday call with Putin when he said in a Truth Social post that peace talks will start “immediately” – comments that came just hours after U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said it was unrealistic that Ukraine would be allowed to join the NATO alliance.
European leaders were quick to react with concern to comments from both Washington and Moscow, including EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, who told Fox News Digital, “It’s not wise to surrender Russia’s key demands before the negotiations even start.”
“Any peace agreement requires the full involvement of both the Europeans and the Ukrainians to succeed,” she continued. “Quick fixes are just dirty deals.
“Putin only responds to strength. Ukraine is resisting Russia’s invasion, and they have our full support. A bad deal for Ukraine is a bad deal for America and will embolden China,” Kallas said.
Kallas’ comments came after she met with NATO defense ministers, who similarly came out in support of Ukraine and issued warnings to Washington.
Lithuania Defense Minister Dovile Sakaliene said NATO leaders are facing “difficult discussions” with “two obvious choices.”
“Whether we decide to fall under the illusion that Mr. Trump and Mr. Putin are going to find a solution for all of us – and that would be a deadly trap,” she said. “Or we will, as Europe, embrace our own economic, financial and military capacity. And we will be the ones who will be deciding what will happen in Europe and in Ukraine with the United States.”
![North South Summit](https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2024/12/1200/675/north-south.jpg?ve=1&tl=1)
Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas and Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis of Greece attend a press conference in Saariselka, Finnish Lapland, Dec. 22, 2024. (Lehtikuva/Antti Aimo-Koivisto via Reuters)
In addition, Estonia Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur warned, “We have to understand that there will be no peace without Ukraine.
“It cannot be so that someone will come and say when to talk. It has to be Ukraine,” he added.
Russian presidential spokesperson Dmitry Peskov on Thursday said Putin would be “pleased” to welcome international leaders, including Trump, to Moscow in May.
European leaders reacted with apparent concern to Trump’s and the Kremlin’s comments and said there can be no peace agreement without direct EU and Ukrainian involvement.
SOME CRITICS WORRIED TRUMP WOULD HAVE UKRAINE GIVE UP TOO MUCH FOR PEACE AGREEMENT WITH RUSSIA
Similarly, U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer said, “There can’t be any negotiations about Ukraine without Ukraine being at the heart of it.”
Seven European leaders from the U.K., France, Germany, Poland, Italy, Spain and the EU released a joint statement on Wednesday and insisted that they should be part of any negotiations on Ukraine’s future.
“Our shared objectives should be to put Ukraine in a position of strength,” the statement said. “Ukraine and Europe must be part of any negotiations.”
![Volodymyr Zelenskyy speaks during a press conference](https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2024/06/1200/675/Zelenskyy-7.png?ve=1&tl=1)
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed he spoke with President Trump on Feb. 13, 2025, about ending the war with Russia. (AP Photo/Laurent Cipriani)
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy earlier this week said he would be willing to exchange the land Ukraine has seized in Russia for the land occupied by Moscow’s troops in its eastern regions.
The Ukrainian president said he also spoke with Trump following his call with Putin on Wednesday about a “lasting, reliable peace.”
World
Hamas says three captives to be released amid ceasefire deal collapse fears
![Hamas says three captives to be released amid ceasefire deal collapse fears Hamas says three captives to be released amid ceasefire deal collapse fears](https://www.aljazeera.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/2025-02-13T133417Z_889410639_RC2OTCAP7RUB_RTRMADP_3_ISRAEL-PALESTINIANS-GAZA-CEASEFIRE-AID-1739455841.jpg?resize=1920%2C1440)
Hamas says it will release captives according to timeline set out in truce after fears agreement would not hold following Israel’s violations.
Hamas says it is committed to the release of captives held in Gaza according to a timeline set out in a ceasefire, days after fears arose that the truce would not hold following Israel’s violation of the agreement.
In a statement released on Thursday, Hamas said it “confirms continuation in implementing the agreement in accordance with what was signed, including the exchange of prisoners according to the specified timetable”.
Hamas spokesperson Abdul Latif al-Qanoua also confirmed to the Anadolu news agency that the group will release captives on Saturday if Israel adheres to the terms of the ceasefire.
“The [Israeli] occupation has violated the agreement multiple times, whether by preventing the return of displaced people or blocking the entry of humanitarian aid,” he said. “If Israel does not adhere to the terms of the agreement, the prisoner exchange process will not take place.”
A Palestinian source quoted by AFP news agency said on Thursday that mediators had obtained from Israel a “promise … to put in place a humanitarian protocol starting from this morning” that would allow construction equipment and temporary housing into the devastated territory.
The Hamas statement added that talks being held this week in Cairo aimed at overcoming an impasse in implementing the deal had been “positive”.
Later on Thursday, Israel said Hamas must release three living captives on Saturday or Israel will return to war.
This week, the agreement with Israel has come under severe strain.
Hamas warned it would delay the next release of captives scheduled for Saturday due to Israel violating the truce by shooting Palestinians in Gaza and not allowing the agreed-upon number of tents, shelters and other vital aid to enter the besieged enclave.
Israel responded by saying that if Hamas failed to free captives according to the schedule, it would resume its war.
Since the ceasefire went into effect on January 19, Israeli forces have killed at least 92 Palestinians and wounded more than 800, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health.
A Hamas delegation arrived in Cairo on Wednesday to discuss the ceasefire with mediators Egypt and Qatar.
Egyptian state-linked media said heavy equipment and trucks carrying mobile homes were ready to enter Gaza from Egypt on Thursday. The AFP news agency shared images showing a row of bulldozers on the Egyptian side of the border.
However, Israel later said they would not be allowed to enter through the crossing.
“There is no entry of caravans or heavy equipment into the Gaza Strip, and there is no coordination for this,” Omer Dostri, a spokesperson for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, wrote on X, adding: “No goods are allowed to enter the Gaza Strip through the Rafah crossing.”
Hamas has previously accused Israel of holding up the delivery of heavy machinery needed to clear the vast amounts of rubble across the enclave.
United States President Donald Trump had warned this week that “hell” would break loose if Hamas failed to release “all” the remaining captives by noon (10:00 GMT) on Saturday.
If fighting resumes, Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said: “The new Gaza war … will not end without the defeat of Hamas and the release of all the hostages.”
“It will also allow the realisation of US President Trump’s vision for Gaza,” he added.
Trump, whose return to the White House has emboldened the Israeli far right, caused a global outcry over his proposal for the US to take over the Gaza Strip and move its 2.3 million residents to Egypt or Jordan.
The Gaza truce, currently in its first phase, has seen Israeli captives released in small groups in exchange for Palestinians in Israeli custody.
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