Egypt to Address Truck Congestion on Sudanese Borders

Waiting areas for trucks on the border between Sudan and Egypt. (Egyptian Ministry of Transport)
Waiting areas for trucks on the border between Sudan and Egypt. (Egyptian Ministry of Transport)
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Egypt to Address Truck Congestion on Sudanese Borders

Waiting areas for trucks on the border between Sudan and Egypt. (Egyptian Ministry of Transport)
Waiting areas for trucks on the border between Sudan and Egypt. (Egyptian Ministry of Transport)

The Egyptian government continues to exert efforts to address the issue of truck congestion on the Sudanese borders.

The Transport Ministry said on Thursday that the “slow” completion of procedures at corresponding Sudanese crossings leads to the congestion at the Arqin and Qustul land crossings.

The overcrowding is also caused by the mismatch in working hours, it added.

Trade between Egypt and Sudan has seen growth over the last year, reaching $1.5 billion compared to around $900 million in 2021, according to official figures.

In May, clashes broke out between the Sudanese military and the Rapid Support Forces in Khartoum. Stranded Egyptian drivers called on the Egyptian officials to facilitate their return to their home country.

Egyptian ports (Arqin – Qustul) are equipped with state-of-the-art detection devices, including X-RAY machines, streamlining procedures and reducing clearance time within Egyptian ports, the ministry added on Thursday.

A committee led by the presidential advisor for the southern and remote areas Major General Ahmed Gamal Eddin, Aswan Governor Ashraf Attiya, head of the General Authority for Ports and Dry Land General Amr Ismail, and representatives of all the concerned Egyptian authorities checked Arqin al-Bari port on the Egyptian-Sudanese border to follow up the state efforts.

They also visited the neutral area between the Egyptian port and the Sudanese port.

Two mini-logistics zones were implemented in Wadi Karkar and the city of Abu Simbel to process Egyptian vehicles heading to Sudan, said the ministry.

Contact points have been identified between the logistic zones and the officials of the Qustul and Arqin ports. This coordination ensures the proper routing of vehicles and restricts any unauthorized movement.

Ongoing logistic support is being provided to the drivers round the clock in the region between Karkar, Abu Simbel, Arqin, and Qustul. This initiative is in partnership with the Egyptian Red Crescent and Aswan Governorate.

The ministry added that instructions have been issued allowing Egyptian vehicles to stay overnight inside the Qustul and Arqin ports if they've completed their procedures and there's no waiting area available in the neutral zone.

The Egyptian Minister of Transport, Engineer Kamel Al-Wazir, has communicated with his Sudanese counterpart to expedite the entrance and exit of trucks between Egypt and Sudan.



Joint Incident Assessment Team Refutes Four Claims Against Coalition Operations in Yemen

The Yemen Incident Assessment Team reviews a number of allegations during a press conference in Riyadh (Asharq Al-Awsat). 
The Yemen Incident Assessment Team reviews a number of allegations during a press conference in Riyadh (Asharq Al-Awsat). 
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Joint Incident Assessment Team Refutes Four Claims Against Coalition Operations in Yemen

The Yemen Incident Assessment Team reviews a number of allegations during a press conference in Riyadh (Asharq Al-Awsat). 
The Yemen Incident Assessment Team reviews a number of allegations during a press conference in Riyadh (Asharq Al-Awsat). 

The Joint Incident Assessment Team (JIAT) in Yemen has refuted four allegations leveled against the Coalition to Support Legitimacy, related to incidents in the provinces of Sanaa, Saada, and Abyan. The findings were presented during a press conference in Riyadh on Wednesday, attended by international media and diplomatic representatives. The team provided satellite imagery, coordinates, and on-site analysis to support its conclusions.

One of the claims addressed was from the Yemeni Human Rights Commission, alleging that Coalition airstrikes targeted the Abyan governorate building in Zinjibar on June 4, 2015. JIAT said field investigations revealed damage consistent with ground fighting, not airstrikes. A review of Coalition air mission records on the date and surrounding days confirmed no operations in the Abyan area, while satellite imagery showed no signs of aerial targeting.

Another claim, issued by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights on January 18, 2022, accused the Coalition of partially damaging an emergency ward at a hospital in the Al-Sawad area of Sanhan district, Sanaa, during a January 13 airstrike. JIAT found the area hosts the Al-Sawad military camp and the nearby “Model 48 Hospital,” a site listed on the Coalition’s no-strike list.

Intelligence indicated that the camp housed Houthi weapons and drone facilities. A precision strike was carried out at 1:20 a.m. using guided munitions to minimize collateral damage. Satellite imagery confirmed the strike hit its intended target, with the nearest impact point located 210 meters from the hospital—well outside the blast radius.

Regarding a report of a missile allegedly fired from the border near a home in the village of Al-Malahidh, Haydan district, Saada province on February 23, 2020, JIAT confirmed no Coalition artillery or rocket activity occurred in the area. No evidence or impact data supported the claim.

A final allegation stated that an airstrike hit a farm in Al-Watada, Khawlan district, Sanaa, at 1:00 p.m. on March 3, 2021. JIAT said the claim lacked specific coordinates, and a review of operational records showed no air missions in the area during that time frame.

In all four cases, JIAT concluded there was no evidence to support the claims of unlawful Coalition actions.