Sudan’s Intelligence Imposes Travel Bans on Gov't Officials

Member of the Transitional Sovereign Council Mohammad al-Faki (SUNA)
Member of the Transitional Sovereign Council Mohammad al-Faki (SUNA)
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Sudan’s Intelligence Imposes Travel Bans on Gov't Officials

Member of the Transitional Sovereign Council Mohammad al-Faki (SUNA)
Member of the Transitional Sovereign Council Mohammad al-Faki (SUNA)

The Sudanese General Intelligence Service (GIS) informed the airport security authorities that several high-ranking officials are banned from traveling, according to sources in the transitional government.

Member of the Transitional Sovereign Council Mohammad al-Faki, Minister Khaled Omar Youssif, and members of the committee to dismantle the June 30 regime were on the list of figures banned from leaving the country.

A source told Asharq Al-Awsat that the Intelligence Service handed over a list of those banned to airport security authorities following the failed coup attempt.

The list also included committee members Wajdi Saleh, Salah Manna, Babiker Faisal, and Taha Othman Ishaq.

The security authorities prevented the committee spokesman, Salah Manna, from traveling to Cairo before recanting and allowing him to leave.

Minister Khaled Omar formed a joint investigation committee including officials from the government and the Intelligence Service to investigate the incident.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok held a series of unofficial meetings with the Forces Freedom and Change to address the differences between dissidents from the Alliance and the members of the coalition who signed the constitutional document.

A source told Asharq Al-Awsat that the Forces of Freedom and Change rejected a proposal to hold a joint meeting between the two groups, forcing the prime minister to hold an unofficial meeting until late Tuesday without releasing any information.

A dissident group from the Declaration of Freedom and Change, which includes government members represented following the Juba Peace Agreement, accused the ruling coalition of excluding them and attempting to take over the revolution.

The ruling coalition says that the incident is linked to a coup attempt orchestrated by the soldiers in the Sovereign Council to avoid implementing the constitutional document governing the transitional period, which clearly defined the partnership between the coalition and the military in the transitional government.



Egypt, Greece Agree to Boost Ties, Back Gaza Reconstruction Plan 

Greece's Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis (R) and the Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi shake hands after signing a memorandum of cooperation in Athens on May 7, 2025. (AFP) 
Greece's Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis (R) and the Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi shake hands after signing a memorandum of cooperation in Athens on May 7, 2025. (AFP) 
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Egypt, Greece Agree to Boost Ties, Back Gaza Reconstruction Plan 

Greece's Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis (R) and the Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi shake hands after signing a memorandum of cooperation in Athens on May 7, 2025. (AFP) 
Greece's Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis (R) and the Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi shake hands after signing a memorandum of cooperation in Athens on May 7, 2025. (AFP) 

Greece and Egypt signed a "strategic partnership" deal on Wednesday as they seek to step up political coordination to help safeguard stability in the Eastern Mediterranean amid the ongoing war in Gaza.

"Our bilateral cooperation is based on political, economic, and cultural ties, which are deeply rooted in history and defined by our strong commitment to the values of peace and the full respect of international law," Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said in a joint statement.

The two officials met during the first meeting of the Supreme Cooperation Council, a body they agreed to set up more than a year ago to improve ties.

The two leaders reaffirmed their joint stance over the need to respect international law to promote peace in Gaza.

"The first priority is for hostilities to stop and restore the flow of humanitarian aid to civilians," Mitsotakis said in joint statements with Sisi. He said Greece supported an Arab-backed plan for the reconstruction of Gaza once a ceasefire was achieved.

Migration also topped the agenda of bilateral talks as European governments have long been worried about the risk of instability in Egypt, a country of 106 million people where economic adversity has pushed increasing numbers to migrate.

Egypt largely shut off irregular migration from its north coast in 2016, but the Greek islands of Crete and Gavdos have seen a steep rise in migrant arrivals, mostly from Afghanistan and Egypt.

The European Union last year announced a 7.4 billion euro ($8.40 billion) funding package and an upgraded relationship with Egypt, in part of a push to stem migrant flows from Egypt to Europe. Last month, the EU's executive arm included Egypt on a list of "safe countries" where failed asylum seekers could be returned.