Turkish citizens begin to return home from Sudan

ISTANBUL

Some 684 Turkish citizens evacuated from Sudan via Ethiopia have arrived in Istanbul, as the deadly clashes between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary forces enter the second week.

Turkish citizens were transported from the Sudanese capital Khartoum to the Ethiopian city of Gondar by a difficult land journey lasting about 24 hours.

They were transferred to the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa by plane.

The first evacuation plane, which took off from Addis Ababa with 189 citizens, arrived at Istanbul Airport on April 26.

With the arrival of the second convoy of 301 people, the number of citizens returning from Sudan reached 684.

Ankara’s efforts to evacuate Turkish citizens in Sudan to Türkiye via Ethiopia continue.

The common emphasis of the Turks, who told the journalist about their experiences at the airport, was that they were “extremely afraid.”

“It was a difficult process; we are happy to return back to our country. Sudan is having a very difficult time. The capital is completely surrounded. The clashes are quite intense. We tried to protect ourselves by staying in our homes,” says Abdülrezzak Şahan, an evacuee residing in Khartoum for 25 years.

Naci Akgün, another evacuee from the first plane, said he was running a furniture business in Sudan, and when the clashes broke out, he had to leave everything behind.

“Conditions were harsh. All countries wanted to evacuate their citizens at the same time. We are the first convoy to return to Türkiye.”

Şükrü Tapar, who is engaged in trade in Khartoum, said his workplace was looted during the clashes.

In the meantime, multiple nations have scrambled to evacuate embassy staff and citizens by road, air and sea from Sudan, where fighting between the army and paramilitaries has killed hundreds and led to acute shortages of water, food, medicines and fuel.

Rescue operations have intensified since a 72-hour ceasefire took effect on April 27. But some fighting was reported around Sudan, as well as air strikes in the capital Khartoum.

Chinese navy ships sent to rescue citizens from conflict-hit Sudan have also evacuated nationals from five other countries, the Foreign Ministry in Beijing said on April 27.

“So far, more than 1,300 Chinese citizens have been safely evacuated,” Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said, adding that many had left Sudan on board Chinese naval vessels.

“We have helped citizens of five countries to evacuate Sudan on Chinese ships,” Mao said. “Other countries have also asked for China’s assistance in evacuation.”

China has deployed the guided missile destroyer Nanning and another supply ship with 490 military personnel on board to assist with the evacuation, Chinese state broadcaster CCTV reported.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry said on April 24 that it estimated about 1,500 of its nationals to be in Sudan.

Over 300 Chinese nationals have crossed over to countries bordering Sudan by land, Mao said on April 26.

The fighting has killed at least 512 people and wounded more than 4,000, and reduced some districts of greater Khartoum to ruins, according to Sudan’s Health Ministry.

U.N. agencies reported that Sudanese civilians are fleeing to countries including Chad, Egypt and South Sudan.