Egypt hosts 121,000 Sudanese nationals fleeing conflict

Cairo, May 26 (IANS) Egypt has so far taken in 121,000 Sudanese fleeing the armed conflict that erupted on April 15, the Foreign Ministry here said.

The figures were revealed by Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry during his meeting with the UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi in Geneva, Xinhua news agency quoted the Ministry as saying in a statement.

Shoukry and Grandi discussed ways to enhance cooperation and partnership between Egypt and the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) to alleviate the burden of Egypt, which currently hosts around 9 million migrants and refugees, the statement quoted Ministry spokesman Ahmed Abu Zeid as saying.

Their talks also underlined the necessity for the UNHCR to mobilise resources to support Egypt's efforts in providing the necessary humanitarian and medical assistance for the displaced Sudanese citizens fleeing the conflict, he added.

The armed clashes between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces have so far killed 865 and injured 3,634 others.

A new week-long ceasefire was reached on May 20 in the Saudi port city of Jeddah by the Sudanese warring parties, but sporadic clashes have continued in the capital of Khartoum in the past days.

None of the previous truces reached was truly observed by the two sides.

--IANS

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