Foreign nationals evacuated from ‘disaster area’ Darfur

EL FASHER / PORT SUDAN – June 5, 2023

Governor of the Darfur Region Minni Minawi declared Darfur a disaster area and called on the world to send relief materials across all borders and by all available means. 83 foreign nationals were evacuated from Darfur, including medics.

Minawi said that the humanitarian situation is worsening due to the security chaos in the region. He also condemned the egregious violations taking place in El Geneina, West Darfur, and the looting and killing in Nyala, South Darfur, and in Kutum and the Kassab camp for the displaced in North Darfur.

In North Darfur, at least 40 people were killed in Kutum and neighbouring Kassab camp this weekend, the Darfur Bar Association reported.

The South Darfur capital Nyala witnessed loud explosions and severe looting this weekend. The bank, pharmacies, warehouses, shops, and houses were destroyed and plundered by gunmen with heavy weapons.

Masked gunmen in four-wheel-drive cars are roaming the northern neighbourhoods, controlled by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), in large numbers.

Evacuation

On Saturday morning, 83 foreign nationals arrived in Port Sudan from the Darfur region as part of an evacuation process.

The Director of Social Welfare, Abdelbagi Hamed, said in a press statement: “We were able to evacuate 83 individuals of different nationalities, most of them from Turkey, America, Nigeria and Italy”.

The foreign nationals were evacuated from Nyala where they worked in the Turkish hospital, the Nyala power station, and the Italian hospital.

The evacuation route began in Nyala and passed through El Fasher and Kosti, eventually reaching Port Sudan.

The security force that delivered the foreign nationals will bring important aid equipment and medicines, including surgical drugs, dialysis equipment and drugs, blood bags, and other medicines, on its return to the region, the director said.

On Thursday, Governor Hamid Hanoun said that “major hospitals and health centres, such as the Nyala Teaching Hospital, the Turkish Hospital, and the Dialysis Centre are now operating”. It is unclear how big the impact of the evacuation is on staff shortages in these hospitals. 

Most hospitals in the Darfur region are closed or threatened with closure and many have faced looting.