Pakistan evacuates citizens as Sudan fighting escalates

Islamabad, Apr 24 (EFE). Pakistan evacuated 427 nationals from the conflict-torn Sudan as a deadly power struggle between the regular army and a powerful paramilitary group raged in Khartoum.

“We continue to follow the developments in Sudan and work with our missions in the region to provide relief to Pakistanis there,”Pakistan foreign office spokesperson Mumtaz Baloch said in a statement on Monday.

She said 427 Pakistanis had reached Port Sudan safely and were ready for their onward journey.

Federal Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif supervised the emergency plan.

“Continuous efforts for 72 hours have paid off, the return of Pakistanis from war-torn Sudan by special planes has begun,” Aurangzeb said.

The minister said friendly countries of Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Egypt and Pakistani embassies in the region were helping Pakistanis to return home even as the evacuation of Pakistanis was facing “difficulties and dangers” due to the war.

The Pakistani embassy in Khartoum had appealed to Pakistani citizens to limit their activities and avoid going out.

It is unclear how many Pakistanis are still present in Sudan.

France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the US, China, and other countries have evacuated diplomats and other nationals from Khartoum.

Fighting between the Sudanese military and the well-armed powerful paramilitary Rapid Support Forces erupted suddenly on Apr.15 in a deadly vicious power struggle.

It has triggered a humanitarian crisis that has killed more than 400 people. EFE

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