More than 150 people, including foreign diplomats and officials, have been rescued from Sudan and have arrived in Jeddah, Saudi foreign ministry said. The first announced evacuation of civilians was carried out by the Saudi Arabia's naval forces with the support of other branches of the army, the foreign ministry said.
It announced "safe arrival" of 91 Saudi citizens and around 66 nationals from 12 other countries including India. Citizens from Kuwait, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Tunisia, Pakistan, Bulgaria, Bangladesh, the Philipines, Canada and Burkina Faso have also been evacuated.
The foreigners included "diplomats and (government) officials", the ministry said. Saudi Arabia "worked to provide all the necessary needs of foreign nationals" ahead of their departure to their respective countries, it added.
Violence erupted in Sudan last week between forces loyal to army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and those of his deputy-turned-rival Mohamed Hamdan Daglo. Daglo commands the powerful paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
{{/usCountry}}Violence erupted in Sudan last week between forces loyal to army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and those of his deputy-turned-rival Mohamed Hamdan Daglo. Daglo commands the powerful paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
{{/usCountry}}Earlier, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan said that he received calls from leaders of several countries to “facilitate and guarantee safety for evacuating citizens and diplomatic missions” adding that the evacuations are expected to begin “in the coming hours”. The United States, Britain, France and China are planning to airlift their nationals using military jets, he informed.
Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and Mohamed Hamdan Daglo seized power in a 2021 coup. The conflict has left hundreds dead and thousands wounded so far as heavy gunfire from both sides continued in many parts of Sudan's capital Khartoum, AFP reported.