China evacuates 1,300 citizens, other nationals from Sudan

Beijing, China – (AFP):

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.

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 Tuesday.

“So far, more than 1,300 Chinese citizens have been safely evacuated,” foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said.

She said 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, state broadcaster CCTV reported.

The first batch of 678 people evacuated by the Chinese team arrived safely at a port in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia by ship, the television channel reported.

The Chinese foreign ministry said earlier that it estimated about 1,500 of its nationals were in Sudan.

Fighting in Sudan has killed at least 512 people and wounded more than 4,000, according to Sudan’s health ministry, and reduced some districts of greater Khartoum to ruins.

UN agencies reported Sudanese civilians fleeing the fighting to countries including Chad, Egypt and South Sudan.

With Khartoum’s international airport disabled after battles that damaged many aircraft, groups of foreigners have been airlifted out from smaller airstrips.

Other evacuations were taking place from Port Sudan.

An Indonesian military plane flew 110 Indonesian nationals from Port Sudan to Jeddah on Wednesday, the foreign ministry in Jakarta reported.