Life for many in Sudan has become intolerable. People have been trapped in their own homes by two weeks of fighting and failed ceasefires. Disruption to power, the internet, water supplies and food have been widely reported.

Little wonder then that since the violence broke out on April 15 between the Rapid Support Forces paramilitary group and the army, many have chosen to flee. Some have been part of the mass evacuations of diplomats and foreigners. But many Sudanese have also fled their homes and escaped to neighbouring Chad and Egypt. The UN Refugee Agency expects the outflow to continue.

On this week’s episode of Beyond the Headlines, host Nada AlTaher explores the refugee crisis created by the violence that has erupted in Sudan.

PROFILE OF HALAN

Started: November 2017

Founders: Mounir Nakhla, Ahmed Mohsen and Mohamed Aboulnaga

Based: Cairo, Egypt

Sector: transport and logistics

Size: 150 employees

Investment: approximately $8 million

Investors include: Singapore’s Battery Road Digital Holdings, Egypt’s Algebra Ventures, Uber co-founder and former CTO Oscar Salazar

BABYLON
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Dust and sand storms compared

Sand storm

  • Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
  • Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
  • Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
  • Travel distance: Limited 
  • Source: Open desert areas with strong winds

Dust storm

  • Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
  • Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
  • Duration: Can linger for days
  • Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
  • Source: Can be carried from distant regions
Updated: November 03, 2025, 9:25 AM