CAIRO: Sudan and Egypt transport officials have begun talks to determine a 900 km rail route linking the two countries through the northern Sudanese city of Wadi Halfa.
Discussions were launched during a visit by an Egyptian delegation to the border area of Ashkit.
Technicians and specialists from both countries took part in the talks.
Muawia Ali Khalid, Sudanese Ministry of Transport undersecretary, held discussions with his Egyptian counterpart, Hassan Al-Laithi, on a rail connection to boost trade volumes between the two countries.
The first phase of the project is expected to link Aswan with Wadi Halfa.
Egypt’s delegation presented a model outlining possible routes, including Aswan to Toshka and an Abu Simbel path with a 66 km bridge to Qastal to flow into Wadi Halfa, a distance of 350 km.
Another desert alternative was also offered.
The rail line in Sudan, including the link from Aswan to Khartoum, will be built according to Egyptian network specifications.
When complete, passengers will be able to board the train at Sidi Gaber station in Alexandria and travel nonstop to the Sudanese capital.
This line will transport passengers and goods between the two countries.
A future extension plan will link Egypt with most of Sudan.
Egypt and Sudan on track for rail link
https://arab.news/mr4hs
Egypt and Sudan on track for rail link
Helicopter crashes in Libya during medical evacuation, killing 3
- The Matan Al-Sarra air base lies in an area under the control of Libya’s Benghazi-based eastern administration led by military strongman Khalifa Haftar, but authorities in the east did not comment on the crash
TRIPOLI: A helicopter has crashed in southeastern Libya, killing a medic and two crew members carrying out a medical evacuation, state media said Tuesday.
Libyan news agency LANA said the chopper went down overnight near an air base in the Kufra region about 60 kilometers north of the border between Libya and Chad.
The aircraft was attempting to evacuate a soldier who had been involved in a road accident in the desert, LANA said.
The cause of the crash was not immediately known and it was unclear what happened to the injured soldier.
Libyan media reports said two foreign nationals were among those on board who were killed, but this was not confirmed by authorities.
The Matan Al-Sarra air base lies in an area under the control of Libya’s Benghazi-based eastern administration led by military strongman Khalifa Haftar, but authorities in the east did not comment on the crash.
Libya remains split between the eastern administration and a UN-backed government in the west led by Prime Minister Abdelhamid Dbeibah. The LANA news agency is under the control of western authorities.
Libya has struggled to recover from chaos that erupted following a 2011 Arab Spring uprising that toppled and killed longtime ruler Muammar Qaddafi.
