Türkiye continuing evacuation efforts from Sudan: Foreign minister

ANKARA

Türkiye’s efforts to evacuate its citizens from conflict-torn Sudan are still ongoing, the Turkish foreign minister said on Monday.

Nearly 1,500 people left Sudan by bus, and 640 reached neighboring Ethiopia, while 189 were crossing the border towards Addis Ababa, the Ethiopian capital, Mevlut Cavusoglu said in a televised interview.

"We’re planning our plane route, currently 850 people are still on the road, tomorrow we’re sending the rest of our citizens by bus," Cavusoglu said, adding that he was in touch with his Ethiopian counterpart to ease border crossings.

Since not many countries were able to evacuate their citizens, Türkiye also helped 110 people from 13 different countries get out of the conflict-torn country, he said.

"Our evacuation is a bit behind schedule because there is conflict everywhere; we’re tracking it moment by moment," he added.

In a phone call Monday, Cavusoglu and his Ethiopian counterpart Demeke Mekonnen discussed the evacuation of Turkish citizens from Sudan, Turkish diplomatic sources said.

Türkiye on Sunday started repatriation operations in Sudan for its citizens amid the continuing conflict between the army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in the country.

The Turkish nationals who reach Ethiopia will next take a flight from the capital Addis Ababa to Istanbul.

Clashes between rival Sudanese military factions continued on Sunday despite a 72-hour cease-fire for the Muslim Eid al-Fitr holiday.

There have been reports of explosions and fighting, particularly around the military headquarters and presidential palace in the capital Khartoum.

At least 413 people have died and more than 3,500 injured in Sudan since fighting erupted on April 15 between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces.