Egypt releases Sudanese miners after delay

The Egyptian authorities have released the 36 Sudanese miners who were jailed after they unknowingly crossed the borders in search for gold.

The Sudanese ambassador in Cairo, Abdelmahmoud Abdelhalim, was quoted by the state news agency (Suna) as saying that he was contacted by the Egyptian Prime Minister Ibrahim Mahlab, who told him that the final decision to release the Sudanese miners was issued.

Mahlab underscored that the strong relations between the two countries would continue to get stronger, Abdelhalim said.

Egyptian President Abdelfattah El Sisi issued an amnesty earlier this month for the miners in response to a pardon by his Sudanese counterpart Omar Al Bashir of 101 fishermen who were detained by Khartoum since April. They were charged with espionage and put on trial.

The amnesty offer for the 101 fishermen by Al Bashir was “a gift”, according to the Sudanese ambassador to Cairo, to the people of Egypt for the inauguration of the Suez Canal's new extension. In return, El Sisi issued the release of the Sudanese prisoners. But Cairo held off the actual release, prompting Khartoum to express disappointment over the delay. 

Abdelhalim said that the embassy has sent cars to pick up the miners from El Qanatir prison and bring them to a hotel where they will spend the night. He said that they will be honoured by the embassy before they are flown on a chartered plane to Khartoum today (Friday).