Canada completes initial evacuation of citizens from Sudan: Minister

By Barry Ellsworth

TRENTON, Canada (AA) – After 12 days of deadly fighting between the army and a paramilitary organization in Sudan, Canada completed its first airlift of citizens, Defense Minister Anita Anand announced Thursday.

Anand was short on details when she announced the rescue flight at a press conference and via Twitter.

“A first Canadian evacuation flight from Sudan has taken place, using an RCAF (Royal Canadian Air Force) CC-130 Hercules aircraft,” Anand tweeted. “We will continue to be there to support Canadians in Sudan.”

At a press conference in Nova Scotia on Thursday, she did not give the number of Canadians who were airlifted out, or any information on when the airlift happened or where the boarding took place.

“We will have more details to share soon,” Anand said. “This is very good news. And I thank our Canadian Armed Forces personnel for their hard work to make this happen.”

With the first effort successful, Anand said Canada was already planning its second rescue effort as there are about 700 from a total of around 1,700 Canadians in Sudan who have said they want to flee the conflict.

The Sudanese army and a paramilitary group have been fighting for control of the country since April 15. Violence is rampant in the capital of Khartoum and has spread.

The fighting continues in spite of the second truce between the warring factions.

More than 450 have died and it is estimated at least 4,000 have been hurt. Hospitals are under siege and food, water and medicine are running out, the UN reported.

Other countries have airlifted their citizens to safety and earlier this week, 58 Canadians left on a German aircraft.