Publish: 10:28, 24 Apr, 2023

Foreign nations evacuate citizens as Sudan battles rage

Online Desk
Foreign nations evacuate citizens as Sudan battles rage
সংগৃহীত ছবি

Foreign countries rushed to evacuate their nationals from Sudan as deadly fighting raged into a second week between forces loyal to two rival generals, reports BSS.

Evacuation flights were continuing early on Monday, with hundreds of people flown out overnight on military aircraft.

Foreigners also fled the capital Khartoum in a long United Nations convoy, while millions of frightened residents hunkered down inside their homes, many running low on water and food.

Across the city of five million, army and paramilitary troops have fought ferocious street battles since April 15, leaving behind charred tanks, gutted buildings and looted shops.

More than 420 people have been killed and thousands wounded, according to UN figures, amid fears of wider turmoil and a humanitarian disaster in one of the world's poorest nations.

US special forces launched a rescue mission Sunday for around 100 embassy staff and their relatives, swooping in with Chinook helicopters to fly them to a military base in Djibouti.

US forces "will remain deployed in Djibouti to protect United States personnel and others until the security situation no longer requires their presence", President Joe Biden said Sunday in a letter to the Speaker of the House.

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said UK forces had also rescued diplomats and their families while Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said his country had temporarily suspended its evacuation operation.

"Our diplomats are safe -- they have been extracted and are working from outside the country," Trudeau tweeted.

Germany and France meanwhile said they had also begun evacuating their nationals and those from other countries.

Two French planes carrying around 200 people of multiple nationalities landed in Djibouti.

The German army said it had evacuated 101 people on the first of three military aircraft sent to Sudan.

The first Airbus A400M "landed safely in Jordan" at around midnight local time (2100 GMT Sunday), the Bundeswehr said on Twitter. Another plane with 113 people was on its way to Jordan, it said.

Italy evacuated about 300 people in total, according to their foreign ministries.

"We reiterate the call for a ceasefire and resumption of dialogue in Sudan," Madrid's Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares tweeted.

Ireland said it was also dispatching an emergency team to assist with evacuating its citizens and their dependants.

Egypt, Sudan's large neighbour to the north, said it had evacuated 436 nationals by land.

Long convoys of UN vehicles and buses were seen leaving Khartoum heading east to Port Sudan on the Red Sea, 850 kilometres (530 miles) away by road, carrying "citizens from all over the world", according to one Sierra Leonean evacuee.

The fighting broke out on April 15 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).

Daglo's RSF emerged from the Janjaweed fighters whom former leader Omar al-Bashir unleashed in the Darfur region, where they were accused of war crimes including genocide.

The military toppled Bashir in April 2019 following mass citizen protests.

The two generals seized power in a 2021 coup, but later fell out in a bitter power struggle, most recently centred on the planned integration of the RSF into the regular army.

Multiple truces have been agreed in recent days, and ignored.

Khartoum's airport, where the blackened hulls of destroyed aircraft lie on runways, is under the control of the RSF.

The conflict has left terrified civilians sheltering inside their homes, with power largely off amid sweltering heat and the internet out for most.

"Life in Khartoum today I would say is still burdened with anxiety and exhaustion," said Tagreed Abdin, a programme manager and architect.

"We did get power back yesterday, Wednesday, in our area. But at the same time, there was a rocket strike in our neighbourhood a few doors down from us. So, it is like nowhere is safe."

Fighting has broken out elsewhere across Sudan, Africa's third-biggest nation.

Battles have raged in Darfur, where aid group Doctors Without Borders (MSF) said their medics had been "overwhelmed" by the number of patients with gunshot wounds, many of them children, in the city of El Fasher.

Some hospitals have been shelled and others ransacked, with more than two-thirds of hospitals in Khartoum and neighbouring states "out of service", the doctors' union said.

The scramble by foreigners to escape has heightened fears among Sudanese of what will happen when diplomats who could act as potential mediators have gone.

"Pushing for safe passages to evacuate internationals without simultaneously pushing to end the war will be terrible", said researcher Hamid Khalafallah.

"International actors will have less impact once they're out of country," he said, adding in a message to foreign nations: "Do all you can to leave safely, but don't leave the Sudanese people behind unprotected."

The US Agency for International Development said it was ramping up assistance to people caught between the warring factions.

USAID "has deployed a disaster assistance response team in the region to coordinate the humanitarian response for those in need both within and outside of Sudan", agency chief Samantha Power said Sunday, reiterating calls for a ceasefire.

Bd-pratidin English/Tanvir Raihan

More News
Israel cracks down on Palestinian citizens who speak out against the war in Gaza
Israel cracks down on Palestinian citizens who speak out against the war in Gaza
Canada apologizes to indigenous group for sled dogs killing
Canada apologizes to indigenous group for sled dogs killing
Afghan women turn to entrepreneurship under Taliban
Afghan women turn to entrepreneurship under Taliban
Man killed after gunfire near Israeli embassy in Jordan: Media
Man killed after gunfire near Israeli embassy in Jordan: Media
A $300B a year deal for climate cash at UN summit sparks outrage
A $300B a year deal for climate cash at UN summit sparks outrage
Israeli attacks in central Beirut kill 20
Israeli attacks in central Beirut kill 20
The week that upped the stakes of the Ukraine war
The week that upped the stakes of the Ukraine war
COP29: Climate-vulnerable nations walk out of overtime talks
COP29: Climate-vulnerable nations walk out of overtime talks
New submarines to join Iran’s navy fleet
New submarines to join Iran’s navy fleet
Storm Bert wreaks havoc across UK-Ireland with heavy rain, snow
Storm Bert wreaks havoc across UK-Ireland with heavy rain, snow
Debutant Priyanka Gandhi wins Wayanad by-election
Debutant Priyanka Gandhi wins Wayanad by-election
Erdogan hails ICC arrest warrants for Netanyahu
Erdogan hails ICC arrest warrants for Netanyahu
Latest News
Who will account for the 17 lakh crores of smuggled funds?
Who will account for the 17 lakh crores of smuggled funds?

12 minutes ago | Special

Revision petition seeks cancellation of bail and remand for 6 Transcom officials
Revision petition seeks cancellation of bail and remand for 6 Transcom officials

12 minutes ago | National

Perpetrators must be brought to justice
Perpetrators must be brought to justice

15 minutes ago | Special

Warnings of a looming crisis during Ramadan
Warnings of a looming crisis during Ramadan

26 minutes ago | National

Leveraging Yunus's reputation to recover laundered funds
Leveraging Yunus's reputation to recover laundered funds

46 minutes ago | Special

Announcement of recruitment against 20,000 posts soon
Announcement of recruitment against 20,000 posts soon

52 minutes ago | National

Israel cracks down on Palestinian citizens who speak out against the war in Gaza
Israel cracks down on Palestinian citizens who speak out against the war in Gaza

1 hour ago | International

No need to call me 'sir'; I am your brother: Nahid
No need to call me 'sir'; I am your brother: Nahid

1 hour ago | National

Canada apologizes to indigenous group for sled dogs killing
Canada apologizes to indigenous group for sled dogs killing

1 hour ago | International

7 palli bidyut officials suspended
7 palli bidyut officials suspended

1 hour ago | National

Billions lost in India's deadly smog
Billions lost in India's deadly smog

1 hour ago | Economy

Ex-chief Justice Ruhul Amin passes away
Ex-chief Justice Ruhul Amin passes away

2 hours ago | National

Talk of reforms doesn't appeal when stomach is empty: Manna
Talk of reforms doesn't appeal when stomach is empty: Manna

2 hours ago | National

King Charles III may visit Bangladesh
King Charles III may visit Bangladesh

2 hours ago | National

Bangladesh records highest premature birth among 103 nations
Bangladesh records highest premature birth among 103 nations

2 hours ago | Lifestyle

Afghan women turn to entrepreneurship under Taliban
Afghan women turn to entrepreneurship under Taliban

3 hours ago | International

CA orders probe into harassment of Journalist Nurul Kabir
CA orders probe into harassment of Journalist Nurul Kabir

3 hours ago | National

Tigers in deep trouble after day two, trailing by 410 runs
Tigers in deep trouble after day two, trailing by 410 runs

3 hours ago | Sports

Man killed after gunfire near Israeli embassy in Jordan: Media
Man killed after gunfire near Israeli embassy in Jordan: Media

3 hours ago | International

Dhaka’s air ‘unhealthy’ Sunday morning
Dhaka’s air ‘unhealthy’ Sunday morning

3 hours ago | City

A $300B a year deal for climate cash at UN summit sparks outrage
A $300B a year deal for climate cash at UN summit sparks outrage

3 hours ago | International

Israeli attacks in central Beirut kill 20
Israeli attacks in central Beirut kill 20

3 hours ago | International

The week that upped the stakes of the Ukraine war
The week that upped the stakes of the Ukraine war

3 hours ago | International

Argentina’s Racing wins its first Copa Sudamericana championship
Argentina’s Racing wins its first Copa Sudamericana championship

3 hours ago | Sports

Purging operation in the Cabinet Division
Purging operation in the Cabinet Division

3 hours ago | Special

COP29: Climate-vulnerable nations walk out of overtime talks
COP29: Climate-vulnerable nations walk out of overtime talks

14 hours ago | International

Jubo League leader Samrat’s aide arrested from Tongi
Jubo League leader Samrat’s aide arrested from Tongi

15 hours ago | City

New submarines to join Iran’s navy fleet
New submarines to join Iran’s navy fleet

15 hours ago | International

Storm Bert wreaks havoc across UK-Ireland with heavy rain, snow
Storm Bert wreaks havoc across UK-Ireland with heavy rain, snow

15 hours ago | International

475 killed in 452 road accidents in October
475 killed in 452 road accidents in October

15 hours ago | National

Most Read
‘Genocide-Free’ cola gains popularity in the United Kingdom
‘Genocide-Free’ cola gains popularity in the United Kingdom

23 hours ago | International

OpenAI invests in research on ‘AI Morality’
OpenAI invests in research on ‘AI Morality’

21 hours ago | Tech

Bangladesh eyes on creating quality jobs for youths
Bangladesh eyes on creating quality jobs for youths

21 hours ago | National

Dozens Jewish extremists try to attack IDF’s top commander
Dozens Jewish extremists try to attack IDF’s top commander

21 hours ago | International

Trudeau dances while Montreal burns
Trudeau dances while Montreal burns

20 hours ago | International

Plots will increase if elections are delayed: Tarique Rahman
Plots will increase if elections are delayed: Tarique Rahman

20 hours ago | National

Make sure no innocent person to be harassed: IGP
Make sure no innocent person to be harassed: IGP

17 hours ago | National

South Korea's development: A model for our future growth
South Korea's development: A model for our future growth

23 hours ago | Special

Suspected of matricide ‘drug addict’ surrenders to police in Cox’s Bazar
Suspected of matricide ‘drug addict’ surrenders to police in Cox’s Bazar

22 hours ago | National

Fashion show by Indian slum children is wowing world
Fashion show by Indian slum children is wowing world

17 hours ago | Showbiz

Paharia language keyboard launched
Paharia language keyboard launched

19 hours ago | City

Drug lords eye Bangladesh
Drug lords eye Bangladesh

22 hours ago | National

Efforts in progress to stabilize market ahead of Ramadan: Commerce Adviser
Efforts in progress to stabilize market ahead of Ramadan: Commerce Adviser

21 hours ago | National

Son hacks mother to death in Cox's Bazar
Son hacks mother to death in Cox's Bazar

20 hours ago | City

'Be patient, just for a little while'
'Be patient, just for a little while'

22 hours ago | Special

vivo V40 Lite: Sleek design meets mid-range excellence
vivo V40 Lite: Sleek design meets mid-range excellence

20 hours ago | Corporate Corner

Saudi Arabia enters cricket scene with major investment in IPL auction
Saudi Arabia enters cricket scene with major investment in IPL auction

20 hours ago | Sports

NATO chief talks with Trump on global security issues
NATO chief talks with Trump on global security issues

20 hours ago | International

Lagnajita Chakraborty’s 10-year journey to perfect a song!
Lagnajita Chakraborty’s 10-year journey to perfect a song!

21 hours ago | Showbiz

Gold jewelry valued at Tk 3.8 million seized in Chuadanga
Gold jewelry valued at Tk 3.8 million seized in Chuadanga

20 hours ago | City

'Tarique Rahman’s leadership was unique in mass uprising'
'Tarique Rahman’s leadership was unique in mass uprising'

19 hours ago | National

DoE runs cleanliness drive and awareness campaigns in Barisal
DoE runs cleanliness drive and awareness campaigns in Barisal

18 hours ago | National

Dengue claims 10 more lives
Dengue claims 10 more lives

19 hours ago | National

Committee on politics at DU campus holds first meeting
Committee on politics at DU campus holds first meeting

21 hours ago | City

Study discovers new chemical in water
Study discovers new chemical in water

21 hours ago | Tech

Electing President through direct votes under consideration
Electing President through direct votes under consideration

18 hours ago | National

Long-term plan needed for Rohingya repatriation: Foreign Affairs Advisor
Long-term plan needed for Rohingya repatriation: Foreign Affairs Advisor

18 hours ago | National

Is it okay to eat expired frozen food?
Is it okay to eat expired frozen food?

20 hours ago | Lifestyle

3 women footballers accorded grand reception in Rangamati for winning SAFF Championship
3 women footballers accorded grand reception in Rangamati for winning SAFF Championship

20 hours ago | Sports

Sonakshi Sinha shares her love story, recalls being the first to say "I Love You" to Zaheer Iqbal
Sonakshi Sinha shares her love story, recalls being the first to say "I Love You" to Zaheer Iqbal

19 hours ago | Showbiz