Turkey initiates citizen evacuation from war-torn Sudan

The Turkish government is evacuating Turkish citizens living in Sudan as clashes continue between the army and a paramilitary group.

On Sunday, the Turkish embassy in Khartoum issued a statement saying that it had decided to evacuate Turkish citizens, especially those living in conflict areas, via a third country by land.

“Our citizens who will be evacuated should prefer comfortable shoes and clothes, depending on the journey that is expected to take between 22 and 24 hours, and carry their passports and identity documents, as well as hand luggage of up to 8 kilograms (17.64) including water and food.” .

The embassy also provided meeting and departure points for citizens as follows: “First center: Rotana, Al Salam Hotel (departure time: 6.00 am), second center: Noor Mosque, Al-Kafouri (departure time: 6.30 am), third center: Dr. Madini (time: Departure: 7.30 am).

According to a statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, ensuring the safe evacuation of Turkish citizens from Sudan was a top priority that was discussed in talks between Turkish officials and their Sudanese counterparts, as well as meetings with third countries.

“The necessary preparations were made in coordination between our embassy in Khartoum and our ministry,” the statement added.

Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu also held separate calls with his counterparts from Iran, Albania and Hungary to discuss the latest situation in Sudan.

Fighting in Sudan has continued for more than a week, killing more than 300 civilians and wounding more than 200 others, according to United Nations figures.

Cavusoglu discussed the evacuation of Turkish nationals from Sudan with his acting Sudanese counterpart, Ali al-Sadiq, in a phone call on Saturday.

“We are in close contact with the Sudanese authorities and are doing our best to evacuate our citizens as soon as possible,” Cavusoglu said. “Our priority is the safety and security of Turkish citizens in Sudan.”

Turkish nationals in Sudan are also advised to follow the Turkish Embassy’s WhatsApp groups and social media accounts closely to get the latest updates on the eviction process.