Khartoum, Sudan- (African Boulevard News) – Kenya has launched a mission to evacuate its citizens from Sudan due to the escalating conflict between the Sudanese Army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which has now entered its second week. The situation in Sudan has deteriorated rapidly, with over 400 fatalities and thousands of injuries reported since last Saturday. Kenya has now joined other countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Germany and Canada, who have already evacuated some of their citizens.
Permission granted by neighboring countries
Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary Alfred Mutua confirmed that neighboring countries, including South Sudan, Ethiopia, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia, have granted permission for Kenyan planes to overfly their airspaces to evacuate stranded Kenyans in Sudan. Furthermore, the Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs has three active evacuation programs underway.
Kenyan students safely evacuated
The Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs has facilitated the crossing of 29 Kenyan students to Ethiopia, where they will fly to Gondor and then to Addis Ababa before heading to Nairobi. Additionally, a Kenya Airforce plane has been deployed to evacuate a group of 18 students currently traveling by road to the South Sudan border.
Two aircraft to evacuate larger group
According to Mutua, a larger group of Kenyans will be evacuated via two aircraft from Port Sudan to Jeddah, and then travel to Nairobi by Kenya Airways. He estimates that “300-400 Kenyans, if not more,” will be evacuated through this method. Mutua commended the Kenya Foreign and Diaspora staff on their missions in various countries and the multi-agency teams in Nairobi for their seamless coordination.
Concerns over the stability of the region
Last week, President William Ruto urged the warring parties to comply fully with the resolution of the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) Heads of State Summit held on Sunday. Ruto called on General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, the leader of the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), and Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, popularly known as Hemedti, who heads the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), to immediately stop fighting and allow dialogue to take place. The President expressed his concern over the worsening situation in Sudan, which he said threatens the stability of the region and the entire continent.
Coordinated evacuation efforts
As the situation in Sudan continues to escalate, Kenya is taking swift action to ensure the safety of its citizens. With permission granted by neighboring countries and the coordinated efforts of the Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs, Kenya hopes to safely evacuate its citizens from the conflict zone. Although the situation remains tense, Kenya remains committed to ensuring the safety and security of its citizens.
