Syrians fleeing war find unlikely refuge in Sudan

Frantically serving up Syrian-style sandwiches and platters of chicken and meat, Shawermat Anas opens onto a busy street in Khartoum. Those from Damascus might recognise the name from the original restaurant back in the Syrian capital, 2,000 km away.

Syrians fleeing the five-year-old civil war mostly head to neighbouring countries like Turkey, Lebanon or Jordan or make the dangerous journey to Europe by sea or on foot.

But as some European countries close their doors and neighbours struggle to cope, an increasing number of Syrians are finding welcome refuge in an unlikely destination - Sudan.

Battling with an economic crisis and rebellions in its own far-flung hinterlands, the African country has nevertheless opened its doors, offering Syrians safety and citizen status, with its allure of access to public healthcare and schools.

A survey conducted by the Syrian Support Committee in July 2015 found more than 100,000 Syrians living in the country as a direct result of the war, a number that has since grown.

A shared language and the promise of help from old friends and relatives already in Sudan has encouraged more Syrians to make a life there. The streets of Khartoum are now lined with Syrian restaurants.

Every week, two flights arrive from Damascus. Syrian families effortlessly pass through passport control with no need for visas, in stark contrast to the strict border controls they face around the world.

Sudan has distanced itself over the past year from its longtime ally Iran, a backer of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Instead, it has developed warmer political ties with Saudi Arabia, which has supported rebels fighting to remove Assad from power and offered Khartoum much-needed economic aid.