A family trying to flee Sudan has told the BBC they are among thousands stuck at the border with Egypt because drivers are demanding $40,000 (£31,810) to take them across.
Currently only people on buses with special permits can travel over the border, and crossing by foot is banned.
Fabi Atabani and his six family members, who escaped the fighting in Khartoum two days ago, is now at the border town of Wadi Hafi where he says thousands of people are waiting.
He accuses local bus drivers of taking advantage of the desperate situation travellers find themselves in.
“On a normal day the cost of hiring a bus is $3,000. As of today people are paying $40,000 to charter a bus to the border – [a journey of] only 30km,” he said.
Atabani said most of the family has UK citizenship and he is appealing for the British government to assist him in evacuating them or organising a bus across the border.