Reports indicate that South Africa has begun the evacuation of dozens of its citizens trapped in conflict-hit Sudan.
“I can confirm that the operation to evacuate South Africans in Sudan and the staff at the South African embassy there is currently under way. They are being taken to a neighbouring country for safety,” foreign ministry spokesman Clayson Monyela told the press on Monday, without disclosing the country.
He omitted to mention how many people were being evacuated or when they would arrive in South Africa.
However, earlier on Monday, in Johannesburg, President Cyril Ramaphosa informed reporters that some 77 South Africans were stranded in Sudan.
Along with that, Ramaphosa stated that South Africa would “assist other nationals” from “our region” who are trapped in Sudan.
After the army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces started fighting across Sudan, killing hundreds and causing severe shortages of water, food, medication, and fuel, South Africa joined other nations in the race to evacuate foreign nationals to safety.
A number of nations, including Belgium, Canada, India, the Netherlands, the United States, and France, have started evacuation operations. Some of these operations are going through Port Sudan on the Red Sea, which is around 800 kilometres (500 miles) from Khartoum by road but about 650 kilometres (400 miles) northeast of it.