Saudi Arabia to evacuate citizens from Sudan amid unrest

The statement added that the country will "follow up and care for the citizens of the Kingdom in the Republic of Sudan"

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Photo: AFP

By Web Desk

Published: Sat 22 Apr 2023, 1:52 PM

Last updated: Sat 22 Apr 2023, 2:40 PM

Saudi Arabia has said that they are will be evacuating citizens from Sudan amid the ongoing unrest.

In a statement on Twitter, the state news agency said that the process was being implemented under the directives of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, and Prince Muhammad bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, Crown Prince and Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia.

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"The Ministry of Foreign Affairs announces the start of arranging the evacuation of Saudi citizens and a number of nationals of brotherly and friendly countries from the Republic of Sudan to The Kingdom," it said.

The statement added that the country will "follow up and care for the citizens of the Kingdom in the Republic of Sudan".

Recently, a passenger plane preparing to take off from Sudan for Saudi Arabia came under fire as deadly fighting rocked Khartoum.

The Airbus A330 bound for Saudi Arabia "was exposed to gunfire damage... with guests and crew on board" ahead of its scheduled departure to Riyadh, Saudia said in a statement.

"It has been confirmed that all members of the aircraft's cabin crew have safely arrived at the Saudi Embassy in Sudan," the statement said.

"Meanwhile, aircraft flying over Sudan have returned and all other flights to and from Sudan have been suspended in order to preserve the safety of the guests and crew."

More than 400 people have been killed and thousands wounded since the fighting erupted between forces loyal to army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and his deputy, Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, who commands the powerful paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and is commonly known as Hemeti.

The army announced Friday it had "agreed to a ceasefire for three days" to "enable citizens to celebrate Eid Al Fitr and allow the flow of humanitarian services", which UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken had called for a day earlier.

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Web Desk

Published: Sat 22 Apr 2023, 1:52 PM

Last updated: Sat 22 Apr 2023, 2:40 PM

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