Egypt dispatching troops to evacuate soccer fans in Sudan: official
November 18, 2009 (KHARTOUM) – The Egyptian government is dispatching special forces to Sudan to evacuate its soccer fans claiming to be targeted by Algerians in the capital, the Egyptian ambassador to Sudan said today.
The Egyptian envoy said that he is constant contact with the authorities in Sudan while waiting for Special Forces to arrive.
Abdel-Wahab revealed that the Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak phoned the Sudanese presidency calling on them “to control the escalating situation”.
Earlier today, the Egyptian information minister Anas Al-Fiqi threatened the move if Sudanese authorities to protect its citizens.
Algeria beat Egypt 1-0 getting the last ticket to the 2010 soccer world cup held in South Africa.
The match was a special situation after Egypt and Algeria equalized in terms of points and goals requiring a decisive match on neutral ground per FIFA rules.
Historically, the soccer matches between the two countries are unique in the animosity surrounding it though analysts have disagreed on the reasons behind it.
In 1989, the Algerian soccer player Lakhdar Belloumi was accused of seriously injuring an Egyptian physician in the eye after throwing a broken bottle in his face.
The incident followed another crucial World Cup qualifying match between the two teams. Belloumi managed to get out on bail and was rushed back home where he has been unable to leave owing to an arrest warrant issued by Interpol which was rescinded only this year.
The Egyptian media today has reported widespread attacks on its soccer fans in Sudan by Algerian fans and Sudanese police alike.
However, the spokesperson of the Sudanese police speaking by phone at the ‘Cairo Today’ show Brigadier Mohamed Abdel Magid denied the reports.
Amr Adeeb, host of the popular show, interrupted Abdel Magid telling him “Sudanese police should not extend its hands on an Egyptian citizen”.
Mamdooh Ali, the Egyptian medical consultant at the embassy in Khartoum told Adeeb that he has seen few cases of minor injuries among the Egyptians suggesting that the reports were exaggerated.
But a number of Egyptian fans and artists calling from Khartoum said they are besiged trying to hide pleading over the phone for help.
Events in Sudan threaten to evolve into a diplomatic row with Egypt after officials in Cairo accused authorities of failing to protect its citizens.
On Tuesday the Sudanese president Omer Hassan Al-Bashir met with both delegations’ management in a bid to defuse tensions.
But at the Sudanese presidential palace the head of Algeria’s football association publicly rejected a peaceful overture from his Egyptian counterpart, walking away from Samir Zahir who proposed to kiss him to put the troubles behind them.
Egyptian and Algerian fans flowed into Sudan with special charter flights to airlift them for the match.
The attendees included officials, ministers, actors and singers from both sides of the aisle including the personal representative of the Algerian president Abdul-Aziz Bouteflika, his brother and the two sons of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak.
Westerners and U.N. staff were urged to stay well away from the stadium as 15,000 extra police kept tight control over 35,000 supporters in Khartoum’s Al Merreikh stadium.
Heavily armed security forces fired tear gas to chase away thousands of Sudanese fans waiting outside, witnesses told Reuters.
The vast majority of Sudanese appeared to rally behind Algerians, a journalistic source in Khartoum told Sudan Tribune adding that authorities informed newspapers that they will be subject to confiscation if they publish pro-Algerian articles.
“Those Egyptians are so arrogant,” Mohamed Naim Suleman, a student from Darfur told New York Times.
(ST)
Aarai Baka
Egypt dispatching troops to Sudan to evacuate soccer fans: official
Ooh woow!!! things are really getting dirty in khartuom from these two arab nations. Egypt deserved to be treated like what Algierian did. Egyptian always intimidate others players when playing in Cairo, now they smell the stink of ass.
don dinka
Egypt dispatching troops to Sudan to evacuate soccer fans: official
there is nothing breathtaking like a playoff in soccer, it normally allow the players to play to their last tricks but again it normally the most chaotic,controversial and sometime violent. after seeing these bitter rivals like EGP AND ALG play in my country and what they have shown just leaves me wondering what they do to people that are not Arabs. Egyptians should be kicked out of FIFA for now until they catch up with how the rest of FIFA member country do their things, I mean they are still ancient and prehistoric in how they view things. silly pheroahs.
oshay
Egypt dispatching troops to evacuate soccer fans in Sudan: official
It was a good match, but wow, Algerians have a hot temper.
Time1
Egypt dispatching troops to evacuate soccer fans in Sudan: official
Egyptians should just accept defeat. Go home , no world cup for you this time hahaha
Congratulations to Algeria
Amir Ageeb
Egypt dispatching troops to evacuate soccer fans in Sudan: official
This football!
Thanx Algeria; thanx Egypt for the good match they performed in Khartoum. Let’s hope for the success of Algeria in the coming World Cup.
Joseph
Egypt dispatching troops to evacuate soccer fans in Sudan: official
Congratulation Algeria, I don’t like Egyptian prayer in Stadium.
silake comba
Egypt dispatching troops to evacuate soccer fans in Sudan: official
I strongly believe that the brilliant Sudanese security organs, in the forefront the police, have successfully carried out thier task and duty in securing the MATCH in a highly professional mannar. These men need to be thanked and their efforts be appreciated. Egyptians are still treating Sudan with the colonial mentality. their were attacked in their own soil and they also attacked the Algerians in their on soil why they deliberately want to damage the reputation of the sudanese security organs and belittle their capabilities. We as Sudanese can’t accept these kind of arrogance and any kind of humiliation to our sovereignty is strongly rejected.In the same manner we call upon our trusted and experienced able men in the security organs to deal firmly and resolutely with any kind of holiganism and chaos that could damage our reputation and spoil the great deed and achievement they scored in securing the match while the Egyptians themselves failled to do that in their own country. Any Egyptian troops in Khartoum are considered as invaders.
Samson Shawel Ambaye
Egypt dispatching troops to evacuate soccer fans in Sudan: official
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AAMA
Egypt dispatching troops to evacuate soccer fans in Sudan: official
The media buildup to this game was ridiculous, fueled by the Egyptian media and fully responded to by the whole country of Algeria. Many in the Egyptian media just can’t take the fact that some country in the Arab or African world is better than them. They think they are the best and then try to prove it, not the other way round like everybody else (I think they are ONE of the best, but not always and in each and every aspect of life as they think). This is understood by everybody in our area and leads people away from supporting them. In fact, I think it could have been much worse if they went to play in any other country rather than Sudan. We welcome our guests, even if we don’t like their attitudes towards us, and we treat them fairly even when we treat each other unfairly (Sudanese are very good to everybody from outside, but very bad between them).
Achuil Manyuat Tong
Egypt dispatching troops to evacuate soccer fans in Sudan: official
Egyptian have been ralling behind Khartoum government .
let them see how useless the are !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Arabs have never been good at all.How ever long you stay as friends.
The can not even realise how friendly Egyptian have been in fighting the south.Even the offer to protect thier leader from arrest and yet the don’t want to support Egypt in only a football match.
What a useless friendship!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Akuma
Egypt dispatching troops to evacuate soccer fans in Sudan: official
who to be blame;
Sudanese government, Algerian or Egyptian, Sudanese should participate as the host by providing security to all the spectators whether from Algeria or Egypt, so long all the people in the stadium need calmn.
I personally don’t understand what was the used of those 15000 policemans deployed in the stadium.
According to Bashir as president of Sudan, he issue the statement saying that loose team may first live the stadium follow by the winner team in order to make proper security for all the spectators in the stadium, as time goes when Algeria defeat Egypt 1-0, then all the players of Egypt match out follow by the Algeria team, then all the palyers and fans of both team begin throwing stones,while sudanese policemens were just watching with their presipericalial glasses, living foreigners to fight themselves in the capital.
Ashame, ashame, ashame Sudanese government,
Eventhough all are Arabs nations then they should respect the country sudan. Sudan is not Arabs or muslim country anymore.
Dr.Akuma, Chicago USA
Deng Garang Akech
Egypt dispatching troops to evacuate soccer fans in Sudan: official
Dear readers,
All Egyptians are our enemies at all costs.But remember they are all bad to everybody in the world,becuase of pour land with no resources as far as Nile water is concern. Algerians are better off in Northern Africa, in which we should support them throughout as friends against our enemies!