Egyptian forces prevent Sudanese delegation from visiting Halayeb, says MP

May 27, 2012 (KHARTOUM) – A Sudanese delegation led by the minister of roads was forced to cancel a visit to the disputed town of Halayib after being prevented from entering the area by Egyptian troops, an official revealed on Sunday.

Ismail Hussain, a Sudanese Member of Parliament (MP) representing the opposition Popular Congress Party (PCP), said while speaking at a regular discussion forum in Khartoum, that Egyptian army forces had prevented a delegation led by Sudan’s minister of roads, Ahmad Babikir Nihar, from entering Halayib two weeks ago.

According to the MP, the delegation reached the gates of Halayib while on a mission to inspect the coastal road linking Sudan and Egypt but was ordered to return back from whence he came by Egyptian forces stationed in the area.

Furthermore, he revealed that Egypt had sent a military plane to Halaiyb to monitor the movement of the delegation in order to ensure that it complied with their orders to leave the area completely.

Both Sudan and Egypt claims sovereignty over Halayib, which occupies an area of land measuring 20,580 square km in the border areas of the Red Sea coast.

The area, however, has been occupied by Egyptian forces since 1995 following a degeneration of bilateral relations as a result of a failed attempt by Islamists allegedly backed by Khartoum to assassinate former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak in Addis Ababa.

(ST)