427 Pakistanis reach the Sudan port safely as the world race to extract thousands of their citizens from Khartoum
The sudden eruption of violence in Sudan triggered a humanitarian crisis and killed 420 people.
427 Pakistanis have reached the Sudan port safely, notifies the Foreign Office on Monday, as the world race to extract thousands of their citizens from Khartoum.
From the Sudan port, they will be brought back to Pakistan.
The government has arranged accommodation and food for all 427 citizens.
The Foreign Office in a statement issued on Monday said that it is keeping a close eye on the developments in Sudan, and working closely with its missions in the region to provide relief to Pakistanis in the country.
The Foreign Office spokesperson added it is working in coordination with Pakistan’s missions in the region to ensure relief for Pakistanis living in Sudan.
We continue to follow the developments in Sudan and work with our Missions in the region to provide relief to Pakistanis there. 427 Pakistanis reached Port Sudan safely and are being lodged before arrangements for their onward journey are coordinated.
— Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Pakistan (@ForeignOfficePk) April 24, 2023
As reported, several countries have sent military planes from Djibouti to fly people out from the Sudanese capital, while other operations took people by convoy to Port Sudan on the Red Sea, which is about 800 km by road from Khartoum. From there some boarded ships to Saudi Arabia.
A day earlier, Pakistan Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari thanked his Saudi counterpart Faisal bin Farhan for the country’s assistance in evacuating Pakistani citizens from Sudan.
In telephone communication, the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia and Pakistan discussed bilateral relations and issues of mutual interest.
Spoke on phone with my brother HH @FaisalbinFarhan FM of KSA today. Extended warm greetings to brotherly ppl of 🇸🇦 on the auspicious occasion of Eid-ul-Fitr & expressed profound gratitude for the Kingdom’s assistance in evacuation of 🇵🇰 nationals from Sudan. pic.twitter.com/K1sSVCOiCC
— BilawalBhuttoZardari (@BBhuttoZardari) April 23, 2023
More than 150 people, including foreign diplomats and officials, rescued from battle-scarred Sudan arrived Saturday in Jeddah, the Saudi foreign ministry said.
The evacuation was carried out by the kingdom’s naval forces with the support of other branches of the army, the foreign ministry said in a statement.
Saudi foreign ministry announced the “safe arrival” of 91 Saudi citizens and around 66 nationals from 12 other countries — Kuwait, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Tunisia, Pakistan, India, Bulgaria, Bangladesh, the Philipines, Canada and Burkina Faso.
As reported, at least two convoys involved in the evacuations came under attack, including one carrying Qatari embassy staff. While another carrying French citizens came under attack in which, one was injured.
France and Germany on Monday said they had evacuated around 700 people, without giving a breakdown of their nationalities. A German air force plane carrying evacuees landed in Berlin early on Monday.
A French plane carrying about 100 people left Khartoum on Sunday for Djibouti with a second plane carrying a similar number preparing to take off, France said, adding that operations would resume on Monday.
On April 15, fighting broke out in Sudan between forces loyal to army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and his deputy-turned-rival Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, who commands the powerful paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
The sudden eruption of violence in Sudan triggered a humanitarian crisis and killed 420 people.
