Sudan Crisis: Diplomats' Evacuation Expected To Begin Soon, Army Chief Burhan Says As Over 400 Dead

Sudan News: Countries have struggled to repatriate their citizens as deadly clashes have claimed the lives of over 400 people so far. The fighting around Khartoum airport has complicated evacuation plans.

This image grab taken from AFPTV video footage on April 20, 2023, shows an aerial view of black smoke rising above the Khartoum International Airport amid ongoing battles between the forces of two rival generals.

Source : AFP

The Sudanese army on Saturday informed that efforts to evacuate diplomats from the United States, Britain, China, and France out of the country on military airplanes are underway, as fighting continues in the capital city Khartoum, including at its main airport. The fighting between the Sudanese military and a powerful paramilitary group called the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has continued to rage around the airport, a sprawling complex near the center of the capital, which has complicated evacuation plans.

According to news agency AP, the military stated that Sudanese army chief Gen. Abdel Fattah Burhan had spoken to leaders of various countries urging safe evacuations of their citizens and diplomats from Sudan.

Countries have struggled to repatriate their citizens while deadly clashes have claimed the lives of over 400 people so far, as per AP's report. Sudan, roiled by bloody fighting for the past week, has had its main international airport closed while foreign countries have advised their citizens to stay indoors until they can figure out evacuation plans.

The Sudanese army chief said that diplomats from Saudi Arabia were evacuated from Port Sudan and airlifted back to the kingdom, AP reported. He said that diplomats from Jordon would be evacuated in the same way soon.

Earlier this week, the Pentagon informed that it was moving additional troops and equipment to a Naval base in the tiny Gulf of Aden nation of Djibouti to prepare for the possible evacuation of U.S. Embassy personnel from Sudan.

The United States on Friday said that it had no plans for a government-coordinated evacuation of approximately 16,000 American citizens trapped in the conflict-ridden country and Americans in Sudan were urged to shelter in place.

Sudan Crisis: PM Modi Asks Officials To Prepare Contingency Evacuation Plan

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday presided over a high-level meeting to assess the security condition of Indians stuck in Sudan. According to his office, Prime Minister Modi instructed the officials to develop contingency evacuation plans, taking into consideration the quickly changing security scenario and the practicality of alternative options. He directed that all concerned officials be attentive, constantly monitoring developments and continuously assessing the safety of Indian people in Sudan and offering all available aid to them.

During the discussion, Prime Minister Modi examined the most recent events in Sudan and was given a first-hand assessment of the situation on the ground, with a particular emphasis on the safety of nearly 3,000 Indian citizens who are currently scattered around the country. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra were among those who participated in the virtual meeting with the Prime Minister.