Three Sudanese Die at Argeen Border Crossing as Thousands Stranded in Heat

May 25, Argeen —Three Sudanese nationals died at the Argeen border crossing with Egypt after exposure to extreme heat and deteriorating conditions, as thousands of returnees remained stranded at the crossing amid a severe transport crisis, local sources said Monday.

A stranded citizen told Sudan Tribune that two women and one man died from direct sun exposure compounded by chronic illness complications, in the absence of adequate medical services.

The crossing, which had been operating normally through Saturday, saw the number of stranded travelers surge rapidly to around 5,000 people, according to Argeen crossing director Brigadier Mubarak Daoud. Temperatures exceeded 45 degrees Celsius in recent days, with families spending nights in the open with acute shortages of water, food, and basic services. Video footage and testimonies circulated by stranded travelers showed luggage and families crowded around the crossing perimeter as they waited for transport.

Daoud attributed the crisis to bus operators abandoning the Argeen route following a fare disparity created by a temporary 30 percent price increase approved by the transport chamber ahead of Eid al-Adha. With the Argeen ticket priced at around 196,000 Sudanese pounds (approximately $78), drivers opted for more lucrative routes — 260,000 pounds for the Wadi Halfa–Khartoum line and 240,000 pounds for the Dalgo–Khartoum route.

Stranded travelers also reported that some transport companies failed to honor existing ticket arrangements, refunding passengers their fares upon arrival at Argeen while bus prices had already risen by more than 50 percent.

The National Chamber of Intercity Buses had announced last Thursday a temporary 30 percent fare increase across interstate routes to offset buses returning empty from the states, saying passenger convoys would begin moving from Sunday.

Daoud said later Monday that the crisis had begun to ease following the deployment of additional buses to transport returnees to their respective states, and forecast the situation would be fully resolved by Monday evening.