Cairo is attempting to mobilise support for the Sudanese government amid its war against the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), after the Sudanese army cooperated with the Egyptian military to free Egyptian captives held by the rebel force.
On Thursday, Egyptian media reported that nine nationals detained by the militia had been released and returned to their home country as a result of a carefully coordinated operation involving Egyptian and Sudanese authorities.
According to Daily News Egypt, which cited unnamed Egyptian sources, the released individuals had been living in Khartoum and were involved in the household goods trade.
The Al-Qahera News channel, which is close to Egyptian authorities, said the release follows several months of work behind the scenes to secure their freedom, in line with directives from President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi to take all necessary measures to see them returned home.
"The kidnapped Egyptians were moved from conflict zones in central Khartoum to the city of Port Sudan before being safely returned to Egypt," the broadcaster reported.
Egyptians living in Sudan found themselves caught in escalating violence following the outbreak of the brutal war between the Sudanese army and the RSF in April 2023.
After the RSF gained control over parts of the Sudanese capital, the rebels seized properties belonging to both Sudanese nationals and foreign residents, Daily News Egypt reported.
The Egyptian traders, who had chosen to stay in Khartoum to safeguard their livelihood, resulted in their detention by RSF fighters in areas under their control.
Emad Moawad, an Egyptian captive who was freed, told news agency Reuters that the RSF falsely accused the men of spying for the Egyptian intelligence service.
"Sixty-five days later, the RSF raided our house and held us captive for over 19 months," he said.
Following the release of Egyptian captives, °®Âþµºâ€™s Arabic-language sister site, Al-Araby Al-Jadeed, on Friday that Egypt is working to mobilise support from Arab and Gulf nations for the Sudanese government.
Worries over Sudan's political disintegration
This comes after Cairo on Sunday rejected any attempt to establish a parallel Sudanese government or action that threatens Sudan's unity and sovereignty.
Egyptian officials are engaging with Arab and African countries to intensify efforts to unify Sudanese political factions and prevent a worsening humanitarian crisis in the war-torn country, unnamed diplomatic sources told Al-Araby Al-Jadeed.
Cairo is in direct contact neighbouring countries - including Chad, South Sudan, and Kenya - as well as Gulf powers, such as Saudi Arabia and the UAE, in its bid to bolster the Sudanese government, the sources said.
Egypt views its neighbour's stability as vital to its own national security, and is holding direct talks with the African Union and the United Nations to coordinate efforts towards a political resolution to the crisis, fearing further conflict could destabilise the region and lead to Sudan's disintegration.
Egyptian officials are growing increasingly concerned that Sudan's persistent divisions could lead to rival factions establishing competing zones of influence, potentially sparking a new wave of refugees and jeopardising stability in the strategically vital Nile Basin region.
The Kenyan government however, has faced heavy criticism for appearing to support the RSF, after hosting Sudanese paramilitary rebels in Nairobi in February to sign a "transitional constitution" that effectively paves the way for a parallel government in rebel territories, including parts of the capital Khartoum, and the western region of Darfur.
The armed group has been accused of committing crimes against humanity during the 20-month conflict, which has resulted in a humanitarian disaster, mass displacement, and widespread hunger.
The International Court of Justice (ICJ) announced on Thursday that Sudan brought a case against the UAE, claiming the Gulf state is complicit in genocide due to its alleged support for the RSF.