Iraq
Smoke billows over residential buildings in eastern Khartoum on April 22, 2023, during ongoing battles between the forces of two rival generals. Photo: AFP
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The Iraqi foreign ministry late Saturday said that the staff of its embassy in the Sudanese capital of Khartoum was evacuated as heavy clashes between government forces and armed rebels continue to rock the country.
“The Iraqi diplomatic staff was successfully evacuated from the embassy building in Khartoum with a qualitative operation,” foreign ministry spokesperson Ahmed al-Sahaf said in a statement.
Intense fighting in Sudan between forces of army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and his deputy Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, the commander of the powerful paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) more commonly referred to as Hemeti, has killed over 400 people and injured thousands more since the clashes erupted last week.
The evacuation of foreign diplomats and citizens from Khartoum comes after the Sudanese army and the RSF gave “guarantees of security” to allow the operations to take place, according to AFP citing a diplomatic source.
Multiple ceasefires have been agreed between the two sides but have been ignored.
On Friday, Sahaf said that Iraq is “working with the highest priority” to assist its community trapped in Sudan and coordinate with authorities to ensure their safety.
According to the latest tally from the World Health Organization, more than 420 people have been killed and over 3,700 wounded in the fighting across Sudan, but many place the death toll to be higher than reported figures.
“The Iraqi diplomatic staff was successfully evacuated from the embassy building in Khartoum with a qualitative operation,” foreign ministry spokesperson Ahmed al-Sahaf said in a statement.
Intense fighting in Sudan between forces of army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and his deputy Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, the commander of the powerful paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) more commonly referred to as Hemeti, has killed over 400 people and injured thousands more since the clashes erupted last week.
The evacuation of foreign diplomats and citizens from Khartoum comes after the Sudanese army and the RSF gave “guarantees of security” to allow the operations to take place, according to AFP citing a diplomatic source.
Multiple ceasefires have been agreed between the two sides but have been ignored.
On Friday, Sahaf said that Iraq is “working with the highest priority” to assist its community trapped in Sudan and coordinate with authorities to ensure their safety.
According to the latest tally from the World Health Organization, more than 420 people have been killed and over 3,700 wounded in the fighting across Sudan, but many place the death toll to be higher than reported figures.
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