Thousands of Sudanese families cross into Egypt to flee fighting

Thousands of Sudanese have been crossing the northern Arqin border into Egypt as they flee fighting in their country between the army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces that erupted in mid-April.

Buses are lining up at the border area and families have been sleeping outside in the desert, waiting to be let in to the neighbouring country.

"I left my home, my place because of the fighting between people of the same country against each other," said Sudanese citizen Nawal al-Sharif.

The Egyptian foreign ministry said Thursday that more than 14,000 refugees from Sudan had crossed the border into Egypt since deadly

It added that a further 2,000 nationals from 50 other countries or members of international organisations had crossed into or were airlifted to Egypt.

The Sudanese Health Ministry says at least 512 people, including civilians and combatants, have been killed and another 4,200 wounded since the fighting began.

The Doctors’ Syndicate, which tracks civilian casualties, said at least 295 civilians have been killed and 1,790 wounded.

Tens of thousands of residents of the capital, Khartoum, have also fled to neighbouring provinces or into already existing camps within Sudan that house victims of past conflicts.

Egypt has close ties with the Sudanese military but has called on both sides to end the fighting.