Khartoum: The Director of the Directorate of Surveillance and Immigration Control in Khartoum State, Colonel (Police) Adil Mahjoub Al-Zubair, announced the execution of 156 campaigns to control foreign presence in the state during the period from 31 July 2024 to 15 October 2025. A total of 153 reports were opened, 7,914 violators were apprehended, and 1,298 foreigners were prosecuted under Article 29 of the Passports Act.
According to Sudan News Agency, 2,721 foreigners were deported via the border crossings at Juda (White Nile), Galabat (Al-Gadarif), and through the entry points at Halfa and Port Sudan, in coordination with the Directorate of Foreigners’ Affairs. A voluntary return programme for foreigners was also implemented, and refugees were transferred to camps in coordination with the Commissioner for Refugees.
In coordination with the competent public prosecution and the court specialized for foreigners, 442 refugees who had been detained during those campaigns were handed over. Colonel Adil noted t
hat measures were also taken to record foreigners in the state during the cited period: 2,146 foreigners were registered, and 1,931 travel/movement permits were issued to foreigners legally residing and registered. The total number of foreigners against whom measures were taken reached 19,733 persons.
Meanwhile, Major (Police) Mohamed Mustafa Mohamed, Head of the Field Section and Deputy Director of Field Immigration Control for Foreigners in Karari Locality, said the directorate’s work focuses on apprehending foreigners who violate immigration regulations. He pointed out that they conduct regular campaigns at a rate of three to four campaigns weekly targeting foreigners present inside Khartoum State-especially in places where they gather such as buildings under construction and peripheral areas-who do not carry any documents proving legal entry into the country, whether entry visas stamped in their passports or other documents. Rather, they are infiltrators with unregularized status and do not hold any resi
dence permits, whether permanent or temporary; some possess no migration documents at all, but after investigation their countries of origin are identified.
Mohamed Mustafa added that many of the foreigners found to be in violation had stayed in the country for long periods, working and living in unfinished or abandoned buildings and apartment blocks. He noted that his directorate’s work is divided into two sections: the immigration-investigation section, which verifies detained foreigners’ length of stay, nationalities, and ages, and the section responsible for opening cases against them.