KHARTOUM (Reuters) – Sudan’s conflict between the army and a paramilitary group called the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has prompted foreign countries to race to extract their diplomats and citizens.
Several countries evacuated nationals by air, while some went via Port Sudan on the Red Seaabout 800 km (500 miles) by road from Khartoum.
This is the status of some evacuations:
UNITED STATES
U.S. special forces evacuated U.S. government personnel and their dependents and some other foreign diplomats from the U.S. embassy on Saturday using helicopters that flew in from a base in Djibouti and refuelled in Ethiopia. They were not fired on.
The United States was positioning naval assets to assist other Americans leaving Sudan but no major U.S. evacuation of private citizens was under way as fighting continues.
BRITAIN
British armed forces evacuated diplomatic staff and their families from Sudan, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said on Sunday. The defence minister said they worked with the United States, France and other allies.
FRANCE
Paris said a French plane flew out 100 people on Sunday, taking them to Djibouti, while a second plane with a similar number had also been due to leave the same day with further operations were planned on Monday.
The French operation including evacuating members of the European Union delegation and some other nationalities.
Sudan’s army and the RSF each accused the other of attacking a French convoy, in which a French national was wounded. France’s Foreign Ministry has not commented.
GERMANY
The German military said on Monday it had flown out 311 people so far from an airfield near Khartoum. The first 101 people landed in Berlin on Monday, coming from a hub in Jordan. Germany said it had about 200 citizens in Sudan.
ITALY
Italy evacuated Italians on Sunday and had said it would also fly out some people from Switzerland, Vatican City and other European countries. Italy’s foreign minister said about 140 Italians would be flown out and about 60 people from other countries.
EGYPT
Egypt said it had evacuated 436 of its nationals out of about 10,000 in neighbouring Sudan. It said one of its diplomats had been wounded by gunfire, without giving details.
About 800 Sudanese and 100 foreigners had passed through the Egyptian border with Sudan, two Egyptian security sources said on Monday, as Egypt loosened restrictions on those allowed in.
SAUDI ARABIA AND GULF ARAB STATES
Saudi Arabia on Saturday took 91 Saudis and about 66 people from other countries out from Port Sudan by naval ship to Jeddah, across the Red Sea.
Kuwait said all citizens wishing to return home had arrived in Jeddah.
Qatar said Saudi Arabia had helped evacuate Qatari citizens. Sudan’s army accused the RSF of attacking and looting a Qatari embassy convoy heading to Port Sudan. It was not clear if it was the same group that left for Saudi Arabia. The RSF and Qatar have not commented.
RUSSIA
Moscow’s ambassador in Khartoum said 140 of about 300 Russians in Sudan had said they wanted to leave, but said evacuation plans could not yet be implemented because they involved crossing front lines. He said there were about 15 people, including a woman and child, stuck in a Russian Orthodox church close to heavy fighting in Khartoum.
OTHER COUNTRIES
Sweden said on Monday its embassy staff, their families and other Swedes had been evacuated to Djibouti. It said military planes and personnel would help evacuate foreign nationals as long as the security situation allowed.
Jordan said four planes carrying 343 people, including Jordanians and residents of the Palestinian areas, Iraq, Syria and Germany, had left Sudan.
Libya’s embassy in Khartoum said 83 Libyans including diplomats and their families, students and airline and bank employees had reached Port Sudan for onward travel home.
Spain said a plane landed near Madrid, bringing 72 people, including 34 Spaniards and 11 nationals of other states. It said some citizens wished to stay in Sudan or were leaving by other routes. Madrid previously said there were 60 Spaniards living in Sudan.
India said it had sent a naval ship to Port Sudan and two military planes to Jeddah as part of its preparations and was telling citizens to avoid unnecessary risks.
Tunisia said it would start evacuating citizens on Monday from Khartoum.
Lebanon said it was working to evacuate 51 citizens from Port Sudan.
South Korea said on Friday it was sending a military aircraft to evacuate its 25 citizens in Sudan.
Japan said three planes had arrived in Djibouti to transport Japanese nationals.
Canada said it was suspending operations in Sudan and had extracted its diplomats.
Ghana and Kenya said they were working to help their nationals get out.
Nigeria said had asked for a safe corridor to evacuate 5,500 nationals, mostly students.
Norway and Ireland each said they were involved in efforts to evacuate citizens.
The Netherlands said about 60 Dutch citizens were evacuated on a Dutch military plane and on flights arranged by other countries. It said other nationalities also left on the Dutch plane.
Belgium said eight Belgians had been evacuated so far, with about 30 remaining in the country
Denmark said 15 Danish citizens had been evacuated and said another six citizens had turned down an offer to be flown out.
Hungary said 18 Hungarians had been evacuated, while six more were on route to safety.
Switzerland said its embassy staff and their families have been evacuated.
Austria said about 25 of its citizens and dependents were evacuated on German military flights. About 30 more Austrian citizens were registered as living in Sudan, it said.
(Reporting by Reuters Cairo bureau and other newsrooms worldwide; Writing by Angus McDowall and Andy Sullivan; Editing by Alex Richardson, Frances Kerry, Grant McCool, Philippa Fletcher)
