Which countries are evacuating citizens from Sudan?

Conflict between Sudan’s army and a paramilitary group called the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has sparked a rush to remove diplomats and foreign nationals.

Several countries have evacuated their citizens by air, while some have gone via Port Sudan on the Red Sea, some 500 miles (800 km) by road from Khartoum.

This is the status of the efforts of some countries:

United Kingdom

Britain is beginning a “large-scale” evacuation of its citizens, prioritizing families with children, the elderly and the sick. Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said the UK is working closely with its international partners.

The government estimates that there are around 4,000 Britons in Sudan. It evacuated its diplomats and their families on Saturday.

Germany

As of Tuesday morning, a German evacuation mission had brought a total of 500 people from more than 30 countries to safety, including Belgian, British, Dutch, Jordanian and American citizens, as well as Germans.

The country’s foreign minister, Annalena Baerbock, said efforts were underway to remove the remaining Germans, but she did not say how many remained.

France

France has evacuated more than 500 people from Sudan, including more than 200 French, American, British and other citizens, President Emmanuel Macron told his government.

Paris also sent a warship to Port Sudan to help pick up the evacuees, two diplomatic sources said.

Italy

Italian military planes flying from Djibouti evacuated 83 Italians and 13 others overnight, including children and the Italian ambassador.

The country’s foreign minister, Antonio Tajani, said some Italian NGO workers and missionaries had decided to stay in Sudan, while 19 others had been taken to Egypt two days ago.

Japan

All Japanese who wished to leave have been evacuated, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said.

Forty-five left Monday night on a Japanese military flight and another eight left with the help of France and other groups, he said.

Cyprus

Cyprus said on Tuesday it had activated a humanitarian rescue mechanism to allow third countries to use its facilities to evacuate foreign nationals from Sudan.

Porcelain

Most Chinese citizens have been safely evacuated in groups to neighboring countries, China’s Foreign Ministry said.

United States of America

US forces evacuated US diplomats and some foreigners on Saturday.

Washington said Monday that several dozen Americans were traveling overland in a UN-led convoy to Port Sudan, and that dozens more had expressed an interest in leaving.

He said he was positioning naval assets to assist in evacuations if necessary.

Ukraine

Kiev said it had rescued its 87 citizens, most of them pilots, aircraft technicians and their families, out of a total of 138 civilians, including citizens of Georgia and Peru.

South Africa

Authorities said they expected the last 12 of its citizens known to be in Sudan to leave on Tuesday.

Egypt

On Monday, Egypt said it had evacuated 436 of its citizens from about 10,000 in neighboring Sudan. He said one of his diplomats had been wounded by gunfire, without giving details.

About 800 Sudanese and 100 foreigners had passed through the Egyptian border with Sudan, two Egyptian security sources said, as Egypt loosened restrictions on those who could enter.

Saudi Arabia and the Gulf Arab States

Saudi Arabia took 91 Saudis and about 66 people from other countries from Port Sudan on a naval ship to Jeddah on Saturday.

Kuwait said that all citizens wishing to return home had arrived in Jeddah.

Qatar said Saudi Arabia had helped evacuate Qatari citizens. The Sudanese army accused the RSF of attacking and looting a Qatari embassy convoy headed for Port Sudan. It was not clear if it was the same group that left for Saudi Arabia. RSF and Qatar have not commented.

Russia

Moscow’s ambassador in Khartoum said 140 of the 300 Russians in Sudan said they wanted to leave, but said evacuation plans could not yet be implemented because they involved crossing front lines. He said there were about 15 people, including a woman and a child, trapped in a Russian Orthodox church near heavy fighting in Khartoum.

Other countries

Sweden said Monday that its embassy staff, their families and other Swedes had been evacuated to Djibouti. She said the planes and military personnel would help evacuate foreign nationals as long as the security situation allowed.

Jordan said four planes carrying 343 people, including Jordanians and residents of the Palestinian areas, Iraq, Syria and Germany, had left Sudan.

The Libyan embassy in Khartoum said 83 Libyans, including diplomats and their families, students and airline and bank employees, had arrived in Port Sudan to return home.

Spain said on Monday that a plane landed near Madrid, bringing 72 people, including 34 Spaniards and 11 citizens of other states. He said that some citizens wished to stay in Sudan or to go by other routes. Madrid previously said there were 60 Spaniards living in Sudan.

India said it had sent a naval ship to Port Sudan and two military planes to Jeddah as part of its preparations and told citizens to avoid unnecessary risks.

Tunisia said it would start evacuating citizens from Khartoum on Monday.

Lebanon said it was working to evacuate 51 citizens from Port Sudan.

South Korea said Friday it would send a military plane to evacuate its 25 citizens in Sudan.

Canada said it was suspending operations in Sudan and had removed its diplomats.

Ghana and Kenya said they were working to help their citizens get out.

Nigeria said it had asked for a safe corridor to evacuate 5,500 citizens, mostly students.

Norway and Ireland said they were involved in efforts to evacuate citizens.

The Netherlands said some 60 Dutch citizens were evacuated on a Dutch military plane and on flights organized by other countries. She said that other nationalities also left on the Dutch plane.

Belgium said eight Belgians had been evacuated so far and about 30 remained in the country.

Denmark said 15 Danish citizens had been evacuated and six other citizens had turned down an offer to fly.

Hungary said 18 Hungarians had been evacuated, while six more were heading to safety.

Switzerland said its embassy staff and their families have been evacuated.

Austria said some 25 of its citizens and dependents were evacuated on German military flights. About 30 more Austrian citizens were registered as residents of Sudan, she said.

Reuters