Sudan. Kassala, a town nestled at the foot of the mountains, lies around 15 km from the Eritrean border. The hundreds of 4x4s gathered at its entrance bear witness to the activities of smugglers transporting goods across the border into Eritrea, one of the most isolated countries in the world.
A few kilometres away, in Wedsherify, Eritrean refugees are received at a transit centre before being transferred to larger camps. For decades, people have crossed the border to escape repression and compulsory military service in Eritrea.
In November 2020, war broke out in Ethiopia’s Tigray region. As the genocide unfolded, tens of thousands of Ethiopians fled across the border into Sudan. We meet them in Hamdayet, on the banks of the Tekezé River, and at Um Rakuba refugee camp, where people sought safety after fleeing the violence.
