ALBAWABA - Several nations worldwide evacuated their citizens from Sudan, which raised questions if the crisis will be long-drawn-out in the violence-wracked east African nation, where civilian deaths reached more than 291, with 1,699 injuries and humanitarian conditions are worsening by the day.
Sudan: UK government begins large-scale evacuation of British people - BBC News https://t.co/c9ugIGtCge
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The British government announced Tuesday that it started operating flights to evacuate its citizens from Sudan after pressure on Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.
The Pentagon is moving troops to the African nation of Djibouti to prepare for an evacuation of U.S. Embassy staff from Sudan, where fierce fighting between two warring generals has trapped people in the capital, Khartoum, according to officials. https://t.co/tnXv21TA5N
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It is estimated that there are around 4,000 Britons stranded in Sudan. British military planes carrying British nationals are slated to take off from an airport outside the capital, Khartoum.
U.S. Special Forces evacuated American government employees, their families and some other foreign diplomats from the U.S. Embassy on Saturday, using helicopters and military aircraft that flew from a base in Djibouti and refueled in Ethiopia.
According to reliable sources, the operation led to the evacuation of about 100 people. However, there remains an estimated 17,000 private American citizens in the country, but Washington said their immediate evacuation is not safe at the moment.
For its part, France said on Monday that its evacuation mission is continuing, with 491 people, including 196 French citizens and a number of citizens of 36 other countries, already flown out of the country.
International Relations and Cooperation Minister, Dr Naledi Pandor, confirmed on Tuesday that South Africans who were stranded in Sudan have now safely crossed into Egypt after a 72-hour ceasefire was agreed #FinlandInSA #FinlandStateVisit https://t.co/31Q9AfO2Tm @DIRCO_ZA pic.twitter.com/uJvM9LFycK
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The German army said on Monday that it had flown 311 people so far from an airport near Khartoum and helped bring citizens from about 20 countries to safety.
On Friday, South Korea said it would send a military plane to evacuate its 25 citizens in Sudan. Canada said it had suspended its operations in the country and withdrew its diplomats from there.
In political circles, questions are raised about the reasons for the evacuation, especially by great powers, although there are considerable efforts exerted by the United States and other countries to have a ceasefire take hold there.
Germany has halted a mission to evacuate around 150 citizens from Sudan because of renewed fighting in Khartoum, according to reports.
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Japan and Kenya have also announced evacuation plans for their citizens, but these have been delayed.
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Political analyst Labib Kamhawi told Albawaba that the situation in Sudan, especially with the start of the evacuation of citizens by superpowers, is going badly. He claimed there are "Israeli fingers that appear to have a role in what is happening to weaken Sudan in order to benefit from its enormous resources."
Kamhawi said that weakening Sudan would also weaken Egypt, which he said was silent in the face of developments next door.
#OperationKaveri | The first batch of Indians stranded in violence-hit Sudan left the country in naval ship.#Sudan #Indians #India #SudanCrisis https://t.co/W9LYEi8UtE pic.twitter.com/1R1hH9k3Fy
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On the evacuations, he said that there is no real Arab attempt to confront what he called the "Zionist project."
"Some countries promised to move and defend Sudan, but this remained talk without action," he said. "This may indicate leaving the space for Israel to control the scene."
International media outlets reported on Monday that Israel had invited the leader of the Sudanese army, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and the leader of Rapid Support Forces, Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo (Hemedti), for reconciliation talks in Tel Aviv. The claim could not be immediately verified.
Sudan has plunged into violence 11 days ago, making it difficult for injured civilians to reach local hospitals. It is expected that the death toll will rise further if the situation remains the same.
According to United Nations figures, about 270,000 people in Sudan want to flee to Chad and South Sudan, and 15 million people need urgent aid.
Written by ALBAWABA writer Razan Abdelhadi
