Sudan conflict: Zim to evacuate nationals

STAFF REPORTER

Zimbabwe said on Monday that it will evacuate about 100 of its nationals holed up in Sudan in response to the deadly conflict between the Sudan Armed Forces and the paramilitary group, Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

The conflict, in its second week, has led to the death of over 400 Sudanese and the exodus of citizens to neighbouring countries.

In a statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade said an estimated 100 Zimbabweans resident in Sudan have reported safe but some have “indicated their desire to be repatriated from Sudan”.

“The Ministry has managed to secure buses to evacuate our nationals to the Port of Sudan in the UN convoy,” spokesperson Livit Magejo said in a statement. He said the closure of airports has affected the ability of the Ministry to “urgently assist with the repatriation of Zimbabweans in fulfillment of its mandate of “protecting the interest and safety of Zimbabweans national abroad”.

A number of countries have evacuated its nationals from Sudan.

A contingency fund has been disbursed to the Zimbabwean Embassy in Khartoum to facilitate then evacuation and Zimbabwe will engage the Sudanese government to ensure the safe exit of Zimbabweans, the Ministry said.

The conflict broke out on April 15 following disagreement with the Sudan Armed Forces and the RSF on how to integrate the two groups, four years after they joined forces to topple long time President Omar Al-Bashir.

In 2021, the two forces staged a coup which removed the transitional government that had the military and civilians.

Sudan Armed Forces commander Abdel Fattah al-Burban became the leader of the Transitional Military Council and the country’s defacto President deputised by RSF leader Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, known as Hemedti.

The fallout between the two erstwhile allies triggered the conflict.

The RSF has its origins in the Janjaweed militia which fought on behalf of the Sudanese government during the war in Darfur.