The foreign ministry of Saudi Arabia reported that around 150 people, including diplomats and officials from several countries, had been rescued from Sudan and landed in Jeddah. The foreign ministry of Saudi Arabia stated that the naval forces of the country assisted in the first announced evacuation of civilians.
The “safe arrival” of 91 Saudi citizens and about 66 citizens from 12 other nations, including India, was announced. Additionally evacuated were people from Kuwait, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Tunisia, Pakistan, Bangladesh, the Philippines, Canada, and Burkina Faso, as reported by the Hindustan Times.
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The foreigners included “diplomats and (government) officials”, the ministry said. Saudi Arabia “worked to provide all the necessary needs of foreign nationals” ahead of their departure to their respective countries, it added.
Indians, as well as people from other nations, arrived safely from Sudan, including diplomats & international officials: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia pic.twitter.com/XoqykgnF2v
— ANI (@ANI) April 22, 2023
Last week, violence broke out in Sudan between troops loyal to army head Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and those of his deputy-turned-rival Mohamed Hamdan Daglo. Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a potent paramilitary group, are under Daglo’s command.
Previously, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan said that he received calls from leaders of several countries to “facilitate and guarantee safety for evacuating citizens and diplomatic missions” adding that the evacuations are expected to begin “in the coming hours”.
The United States, Britain, France and China are planning to airlift their nationals using military jets, he said.
In a coup in 2021, Mohamed Hamdan Daglo and Abdel Fattah al-Burhan took control. According to AFP, intense firing from both sides continued in numerous areas of Khartoum, the capital of Sudan, leaving hundreds dead and thousands wounded thus far.
Situation in Sudan worsens
People are running out of food, fuel, and other essential supplies amid the ongoing turmoil in Sudan, according to UN humanitarians, and the healthcare system is in danger of collapsing.
“We desperately need a humanitarian pause so that wounded and sick civilians can reach hospitals,” the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said.
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“People in the capital Khartoum have been unable to safely leave their homes to buy food and other essentials for days now.”
According to the Xinhua news agency, OCHA issued a report on a seriously impeded assistance response system and demanded an end to attacks on aid workers and looting of humanitarian organisations.
(With inputs from agencies)
