Numerous nations have evacuated diplomats and citizens from Sudan’s capital as intense combat continues in Khartoum.
The US and UK declared on Sunday that they had transported diplomats out of the nation.
Other countries, including France, Germany, Italy, and Spain, have also executed evacuations.
Violence has erupted throughout the nation due to a brutal power struggle between the regular army and a dominant paramilitary force.
US officials reported that they had evacuated under 100 individuals using three Chinook helicopters in a “fast and clean” operation on Sunday morning.
The US embassy in Khartoum is now shut, and an official tweet states that it is not secure enough for the government to evacuate private US citizens.
The UK government succeeded in airlifting British diplomats and their families in a “complex and rapid” operation. Foreign Minister James Cleverly mentioned that opportunities to evacuate remaining British nationals in Sudan are “severely limited”.
On Sunday, several other countries were performing evacuation operations:
-French President Emmanuel Macron verified that a plane carrying French citizens and others had arrived in Djibouti on Sunday
-A few Dutch citizens departed Khartoum on the French plane, and the Netherlands anticipated airlifting more citizens on Sunday evening
-Germany’s army reported that the first of three planes had departed Sudan for Jordan, with 101 passengers on board
-Italy and Spain have evacuated citizens – the Spanish mission encompassed citizens from Argentina, Colombia, Ireland, Portugal, Poland, Mexico, Venezuela, and Sudan
-Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced that his government had evacuated its diplomatic personnel
On Saturday, other nations successfully evacuated people. Over 150 individuals, primarily citizens of Gulf countries, as well as Egypt, Pakistan, and Canada, were evacuated by sea to the Saudi Arabian port of Jeddah.
Many foreign students from Africa, Asia, and the Middle East are also trapped in Khartoum, a city of around six million inhabitants, and have issued urgent pleas for assistance.
In the meantime, reports indicate that internet connectivity in Sudan has nearly completely collapsed, potentially hindering the coordination of aid for those stranded in Khartoum and other cities.
The capital city has experienced heavy bombardment due to the power struggle, resulting in hundreds of deaths and thousands of injuries.
The ongoing gunfire and bombing in Khartoum and other areas have disrupted electricity and safe access to food and water for a large portion of the population.
Multiple ceasefires seemingly agreed upon by both parties have been disregarded, including a three-day halt for the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Fitr, which began on Friday.
On Sunday, the US revealed that a disaster response team would be dispatched to the region to “coordinate the humanitarian response for those in need both within and outside of Sudan.”
Samantha Power from the US Agency for International Development (USAID) stated that the team would initially operate from Kenya and prioritize delivering “life-saving humanitarian assistance to those who need it most.”
The World Health Organization reports that the conflict has resulted in over 400 deaths and thousands of injuries. However, the death toll is presumed to be notably higher as access to healthcare is limited, with most city hospitals forced to close due to the fighting.
In addition to Khartoum, the western region of Darfur, where the RSF first surfaced, has also been severely impacted by the combat.
The UN warned that up to 20,000 people – many were women and children – have fled Sudan to seek refuge in Chad, across the border from Darfur.
