EU staff successfully evacuated from Sudan: Top EU diplomat

By Agnes Szucs

BRUSSELS (AA) – The European Union has successfully evacuated its personnel and over 1,000 EU nationals from Sudan, the EU foreign policy chief confirmed on Monday.

Speaking to reporters on the way to the meeting of EU foreign ministers in Luxembourg, Josep Borrell said the staff of the EU’s diplomatic mission has been evacuated from Sudan by a “complex and successful operation.”

He “especially” thanked France for evacuating the EU personnel.

Borrell also announced that over 1,000 EU citizens could leave the country due to the “combined efforts of many countries” that rescued people from other EU states besides their own nationals.

He explained that the war in Sudan will be on the top of EU foreign ministers’ agenda as the EU “cannot afford that Sudan, which is a very populated country, blows, because it will send shockwaves all over Africa.”

Borrell stressed the need for a “political settlement” to the conflict.

EU countries are currently working on getting more of their nationals out of the country.

Foreign ministries of France, Spain, and Greece have announced successful rescue operations.

Clashes between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces continued Sunday despite a 72-hour cease-fire declared for the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Fitr.

There have been reports of explosions and fighting, particularly around the military headquarters and presidential palace in the capital Khartoum.

At least 413 people have been killed and more than 3,500 injured in Sudan since fighting between the two sides erupted on April 15.