Image copyright Social media
Picture of Egyptian soldiers arrested
A video of “Egyptian soldiers surrendering” to the Rapid Support Force in Sudan at the Marawi base in northern Sudan sparked widespread outrage on social media in Egypt.
The Rapid Support Force released a video showing what they called the moment “a battalion of the army and Egyptian forces surrender themselves to the Rapid Support Forces in Marawi.”
The video shows a large number of Egyptian soldiers sitting on the ground surrounded by members of the Rapid Support Force. It showed an Egyptian officer introducing himself and saying he was in charge of the Egyptian soldiers on site.
Another clip went viral showing the moment Egyptian soldiers were arrested and asked to sit down and put their hands on their heads.
The Egyptian army is suspended
Later, the Egyptian military spokesman issued a statement on his accounts on social media, saying that the Egyptian army is following the developments in Sudan and coordinating with the relevant authorities to ensure the safety of the Egyptian forces in the framework of joint exercises with the Sudanese. Army.
Anger in Egypt
A video titled “Surrender of Egyptian Soldiers” has caught fire on social media in Egypt.
“What happened to the soldiers in Sudan is a sad sight for any Egyptian under the Sisi regime,” many felt.
Others say “It is a disgrace to depict Egyptian soldiers in this way, and in this position it is known to raise the hand behind the head (surrender).”
Tweeters asked, “Why isn’t the Egyptian army taking swift action now to protect its sons in Sudan?”
Regarding the RSF’s talk that it was “subject to foreign airstrikes”, some consider it “a false claim aimed at rallying the Sudanese sympathies with them after the insulting incident and, on the other hand, putting pressure on the Egyptian army. The negotiation file for the handover of these soldiers.”
Discontinuance of Rapid Support Forces
In a press release, the commander of the Rapid Support Forces, Mohamed Hamdan Daghlo, said Egyptian forces at Mero airport were safe and Daghlo apologized for the videos that circulated while the Egyptian soldiers were in detention.
On the other hand, tweeters considered the conduct of the Rapid Support Forces “correct and rational, so that Egyptian soldiers will not become a party to a conflict that has no interest and control.” They described the behavior. The Egyptian officer was “disciplined and commanding, indicating a high responsibility.”
In the same context, others expressed hope that “Egyptian soldiers found themselves between the two sides at the crossroad, and their safety was assured”, that they would return safely to their families.
What is the truth about “Egyptian army stationed at Marawi base in Sudan defected”?
Several tweeters circulated a picture of soldiers running down a road in what appeared to be a desert, with a caption: “Egyptian army stationed at Marawi base escapes ahead of rapid support forces.”
However, an analysis of the circulating image revealed that it was previously posted on social media in September 2021 and has nothing to do with the current events in Sudan.
Egyptian presence in the Sudan
On the other hand, many questioned the reason for the presence of the Egyptian army in Sudan.
Some tweeters described the Egyptian presence in Sudan as an “occupation”.
The Marawi military airport is believed to have had an Egyptian military presence for about two years, according to official Sudanese reports, related to joint air exercises conducted by the armed forces of the two countries.
Last December, some Sudanese officials, including opposition groups, demanded an end to the Egyptian military presence in Sudan’s strategic Mero base.
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