Khartoum oversaw a new transfer operation on Wednesday, moving 67 South Sudanese refugees from the Soba al-Aradi area as part of an ongoing government programme to relocate refugees and foreign nationals from the capital to designated camps outside the state. This marks the twenty eighth trip carried out by Sudanese authorities since the plan began in May.
The Office of the Assistant Commissioner for Refugees in Khartoum said the latest convoy included 67 people across 31 family files, transported to camps in White Nile State near the border with South Sudan. The operation took place under the supervision of the relocation programme coordinator, Alam al Huda Mohamed Ali Yousif, with participation from security representatives attached to the office, in line with official procedures aimed at ensuring orderly and safe movement.
Khartoum State launched the first phase of its relocation programme in May, moving foreign nationals and refugees from the capital to camps designated by the federal government in White Nile, Gedaref and Kassala. Authorities say the plan is part of a broader effort to regulate the presence of foreign nationals in the capital, in line with state directives on managing asylum.
The trip was conducted using two travel buses and four trucks designated for luggage and personal belongings, while an ambulance and a security patrol accompanied the convoy to ensure safety throughout the journey. Staff from the Commission for Refugees and representatives from UNHCR departments of protection and registration attended the send off, alongside members of the security services.
The office stated that refugee transfers to the camps were carried out in an organised and humane manner, with strong coordination between UNHCR and the relevant security agencies. It added that the measures fall under state decisions to regulate foreign presence in the capital, based on the 2014 Asylum Regulation Act, particularly the provisions in Chapter Eight concerning the establishment of camps and the issuing of related regulations.
