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LAST UPDATE | 22 Apr 2023
THE DEPARTMENT OF Foreign Affairs is in contact with 125 Irish citizens in Sudan, Tánaiste and Foreign Affairs Minister Micheál Martin has said.
The first civilians to be evacuated from the conflict-ridden country arrived in Saudi Arabia today.
A boat Saudi citizens and other nationals rescued from battle-scarred Sudan arrived this afternoon in Jeddah, according to Saudi state television, in the first announced evacuation of civilians since fighting began.
Sources say contingency planning is underway for Irish citizens in the north African country.
The Emergency Consular Assistance Team (ECAT) would need to be actioned to evacuate Irish citizens. ECAT comprises the Army Ranger Wing and personnel from the Department of Foreign Affairs, but it’s expected aircraft from other countries would also be needed for such an operation
Deeply concerned by the ongoing situation in Sudan.
— Micheál Martin (@MichealMartinTD) April 22, 2023
We are actively planning for assisted evacuation with our international partners when conditions make it possible.
Currently in contact with 125 Irish citizens. Every effort being made to assist them.
The first evacuation vessel from Sudan arrived in the Saudi port of Jeddah earlier today, carrying 50 Saudi citizens and civilians from a number of other countries.
Saudi state media announced the “safe arrival” of 91 Saudi citizens and around 66 nationals from 12 other countries – Kuwait, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Tunisia, Pakistan, India, Bulgaria, Bangladesh, the Philipines, Canada and Burkina Faso.
The evacuees were received by officials and soldiers who distributed sweets on the occasion of the Islamic Eid al-Fitr holiday which marks the end of the holy month of Ramadan, footage showed.
Women and children holding Saudi flags were also seen getting off one of the ships.
Fighting in Sudan’s capital entered a second week today as crackling gunfire shattered a temporary truce, the latest battles between forces of rival generals that have already left hundreds dead and thousands wounded.
Hundreds have died due to the battles between forces loyal to army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and his deputy turned rival Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, who commands the powerful paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has held an emergency Cobra meeting to discuss assistance for the British nationals trapped in Sudan.
If you are a British national in Sudan, we advise you to register your presence to receive updates from the FCDO.
— Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (@FCDOGovUK) April 21, 2023
You should also stay up to date with the FCDO Travel Advice by signing up to e-mail alerts.
The Sudanese army has said it is coordinating efforts to take diplomats from the UK, the US, China and France out of the country on military planes, as fighting persists in the capital, including at its main airport.
Junior Minister Seán Fleming said today that there are currently no plans to evacuate Irish citizens in Sudan.
Speaking on RTÉ Radio One, Fleming said there are around 180 Irish citizens there, including 79 families. He said 124 people have made contact with the Irish embassy in Kenya.
He said: “There are reports of evacuations happening and I think that’s premature, the airports aren’t safe to go in and out of, so it’s important that the full facts of the situation are taken into consideration.
“There’s no security people can rely on to get planes in and out, all of that has to be examined before any evacuation can take place.”
Countries have struggled to bring their citizens out amid deadly clashes that have killed more than 400 people so far.
Irish charities Concern and Goal have issued calls for their staff in Sudan to “hibernate” by staying indoors as violent clashes continue between rival factions vying for control of the north-east African country.
Earlier this week, the Pentagon said it was moving additional troops and equipment to a naval base in the tiny Gulf of Aden nation of Djibouti to prepare for the possible evacuation of US Embassy personnel from Sudan.
Yesterday, the US said it had no plans for a government-coordinated evacuation of an estimated 16,000 American citizens trapped in Sudan, and continued to urge US nationals to shelter in place.
Overnight, the heavy explosions that had previously rocked the city in recent days had subsided, but this morning, bursts of gunfire resumed.
Heavy gunfire, loud explosions, and fighter jets roared in many parts of the capital, according to witnesses.
Violence broke out on 15 April between forces loyal to army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and his deputy-turned-rival Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, who commands the powerful paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
The former allies seized power in a 2021 coup but later fell out in a bitter power struggle.
The army announced yesterday that it had “agreed to a ceasefire for three days” for the Eid al-Fitr holiday that marks the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, which UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken had called for a day earlier.
Daglo said in a statement he had “discussed the current crisis” with Guterres, and was “focused on the humanitarian truce, safe passages, and protecting humanitarian workers”.
Two previous 24-hour ceasefires announced earlier in the week were also ignored.
The fighting has seen the RSF – a force tens of thousands strong, formed from members of the Janjaweed militia that led years of violence in the western Darfur region – take on the regular army, with neither side seemingly having seized the advantage.
Additional reporting by PA
The “diplomats” and “charitable” organisers are going to vacate their palaces and leave most of their servants behind. Oh well. They will soon find another 3rd world country to do good works in.
@TheQueenofHibernia: Do you know that for a fact? I’m sure they go where they’re sent or they’re out of a job. Plus as soon as the fighting stops, the embassies and jobs are bound to reopen for business again. It happens in every country.
@Noshah Monk : There will be an uprising in Ireland if Irish Government tries to bring more refugees into the country . Irish people are sick to death of refugees , asylum seekers and economic migrants getting preferential treatment from Irish Government while our own Irish people go without .
The Irish government need to help our Irish people immediately whats the delay? Help ur own first Leo
How many will we be forced to take in this time. Cead mile failte to everyone, except the Irish. No surprise there.
I know it may not be PC to say so , but Africa was fine when under White colonial rule . Just look at it now .
@FixoUZLA: The Sudanese government were in talks with Russia about a naval base. The rebels, or rapid response force or whatever they call themselves are linked to Western powers. It’s the old colonials still causing the problems
@FixoUZLA: but remember when it falls apart they were “left to their own devices” and definitely not because of multiple coups from the US, France and UK to overthrow democratically elected socialist or nationalist governments who don’t want to sell their natural resources (of which African countries have some of the most abundant in the world) to private companies for pennies and have their populations subjugated to near slave labour conditions in places such as lithium mines. But I guess that’s what happens when us rich westerners want a new iPhone every year…
It takes 11 months to reach this point at ukraine, Sudan made it within 9 days.
Emirates destroyed sudan after yemen and lybia game over, By packing tribal militias,
Darkest stage since independence 1956.
Is Sudanese people are allowed to bring there family members here ?
It was allowed in Ukraine war or atleast we should take some Sudanese refugees…
For every action there is a responsibility . Can nobody in the 870000 citizens the eu plan
@Robert Halvey: We’re a relatively young republic ourselves. The horror of civil war is still in living memory. With modern munitions, even worse. I can only hope for them that over Eid, they find a way towards lasting peace and soon.
@fiona Fitzgerald:”@TheQueenofHibernia: Do you know that for a fact? I’m sure they go where they’re sent or they’re out of a job. Plus as soon as the fighting stops, the embassies and jobs are bound to reopen for business again. It happens in every country.”
Defending the indefensible again…the charity industry is a massive industry that makes charity corporations a huge profit tax free…the ceo’s get paid huge salary…the workers that harass you in middle town get paid massive commission…ever wonder why those charity money collectors for concern work so hard to harass you as you walk by…its because they alot of money to get you to sign up to a bank debit payment scheme…
In Australia they have all you can drink bars at the weekend as a perk of the job for money collectors…
Hardly any of the money collected goes to those its donated for…it goes to over bloated salary of top management and on down and too who ever they do business with…its a sickening industry the corporate charity industry…
It takes 11 months to reach this point at ukraine, Susan made it within 9 days.
Emirates destroyed sudan after yemen and lybia game over, By packing tribal militias,
Darkest stage since independence 1956.
@William slevin: Thank you William. You have explained the charity industry quite well. I hope Fiona reads your response.
@TheQueenofHibernia: your welcome.
All the comments taken down is a utter joke. Comments of non abusive nature. Not much you can say anymore on the Journal. Becoming a very boring place late with news. Far cry from what it was
@Tom Collins: all their rules followed and they still delete peoples comments and withdraw their privileges to comment even though they abided by the rules…its corruption of what they supposedly expose thejournal.ie and if one dares criticises them thejournal.ie loyalists swarm the commenter insult them to try and get them to concede back Down or run them off…and it always the people that I’ve been watching on here for years before I started commenting on here only recently…you could I was a long time listener first time caller until I recently joined…
Thejournal.ie and its loyalist are desperate to control the narrative…
have your say