Several nations have initiated evacuations of their diplomats and citizens from Sudan’s capital, Khartoum, as fierce fighting between the regular army and a powerful paramilitary force continues to escalate. The US and UK governments announced on Sunday that they had successfully flown their diplomats out of the country.
France, Germany, and Italy are among the other countries coordinating evacuations that began on Sunday. The violent power struggle has resulted in widespread bloodshed across Sudan.
US authorities evacuated fewer than 100 people using three Chinook helicopters on Sunday morning in a swift and efficient operation. The US embassy in Khartoum has been closed, and its official Twitter feed stated that it is currently too unsafe to evacuate private US citizens.
The UK government airlifted British diplomats and their families out of the country in a “complex and rapid” operation. Foreign Minister James Cleverly mentioned that options to evacuate the remaining British nationals in Sudan are “severely limited.”
Several countries conducted evacuation operations on Sunday:
- France evacuated about 100 people by air, including nationals from the UK and Germany.
- A few Dutch citizens left Khartoum on the French plane, with the Netherlands planning to airlift more citizens on Sunday evening.
- Germany is in the process of evacuating its nationals, with its first military plane arriving in Khartoum on Sunday afternoon.
- Italy’s evacuation operation has also commenced, as reported by local media.
On Saturday, more than 150 people, primarily citizens of Gulf countries, Egypt, Pakistan, and Canada, were evacuated by sea to the Saudi Arabian port of Jeddah. Amid the ongoing conflict, internet connectivity in Sudan has nearly collapsed, potentially hindering coordination efforts to assist those trapped in Khartoum and other cities.
The power struggle has resulted in heavy bombardment in the capital city, leading to hundreds of deaths and thousands of injuries. Foreign students from Africa, Asia, and the Middle East, who are stranded in Khartoum, have made desperate pleas for help.
Continuous shooting and bombing have disrupted electricity and safe access to food and water for a significant portion of the population. Several ceasefires, including a three-day pause to observe the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Fitr, have been disregarded by both sides.
The World Health Organization estimates that the fighting has killed over 400 people and injured thousands. However, the death toll is believed to be much higher as access to healthcare is limited due to most hospitals in the city being forced to close. In addition to Khartoum, the western region of Darfur has been severely affected by the fighting.
The United Nations has warned that up to 20,000 people, mainly women and children, have fled Sudan to seek refuge in Chad, which shares a border with Darfur.
