Foreign nationals, including British, American, French and Chinese diplomats and citizens, trapped in Sudan are set to be evacuated from the country with the help of the Sudanese army. The move comes as the bloody fighting that has plagued the nation for the past week shows no signs of abating. More than 400 people have been killed in the violence, while over 7,000 foreign nationals remain trapped in the country, many of them running out of food and water.
The UK government has been criticised by British nationals trapped in Sudan, who feel “abandoned” and “failed” by their government. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak held an emergency meeting to discuss assistance for the trapped British citizens. The British Embassy in Khartoum has been compiling a list of where people are so they can be rescued and taken to a place of safety should there be an evacuation.
The Sudanese military has agreed to provide assistance for the safe evacuation of foreign nationals from the country. The military’s chief, General Abdel Fattah Burhan, has spoken with leaders of several countries who have requested safe evacuations of their citizens and diplomats from Sudan. However, the situation remains complicated as most major airports in the country have become battlegrounds and movement out of the capital has proven dangerous.
In response to the situation, the US has announced that it is moving additional troops and equipment to a naval base in Djibouti to prepare for the evacuation of US embassy personnel. However, the White House has said that it has no plans for a government co-ordinated evacuation of an estimated 16,000 American citizens trapped in Sudan.
As the situation in Sudan continues to deteriorate, foreign governments are urging their citizens to register with their respective foreign offices and to stay indoors. The prospect of a safe evacuation remains uncertain, with the Sudanese army’s involvement being viewed as a potential risk factor in the volatile situation.
