Egypt refuses entry for Sudan opposition leader
The Egyptian authorities denied re-entry to Sudanese opposition leader, Sadiq al-Mahdi, as ties warm between Cairo and Khartoum.
CAIRO — Egyptian security authorities at the Cairo airport denied re-entry to Sadiq al-Mahdi, the head of the Sudanese National Umma Party and a major opponent of the Sudanese regime, upon his return July 1. Mahdi has been living in self-imposed exile in Egypt since 2014. He left Cairo to attend a meeting of the Sudanese opposition group Nidaa Sudan in Berlin on June 29.
The National Umma Party said in a statement, “Mahdi was denied entry to Egypt because he rejected a request from the Egyptian government not to attend the Berlin meetings.”
The statement denounced the move, saying it “disregards the status and symbolism of Mahdi and goes against Egyptian traditions and values.” It further noted that arrangements were made to ensure Mahdi’s residence “in a friendly country.”
The Egyptian administration seems to be adopting a policy of rapprochement with Sudan. The Egyptian and Sudanese foreign ministers and intelligence heads met Feb. 8 to discuss mutual security concerns.
