South Korea sends military plane to evacuate nationals in Sudan

By Anadolu Staff

ANKARA (AA) - South Korea on Friday sent a military aircraft to evacuate its nationals stranded in Sudan.

A military plane with 50 personnel, including security and medical staff, left for Djibouti as the airport in the Sudanese capital of Khartoum is currently closed since fighting erupted between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, according to Yonhap News Agency.

The total number of South Koreans living in Sudan is 25.

"While our transport aircraft and troops plan to be on standby in a U.S. military base in Djibouti and watch the situation, they will prioritize supporting the evacuation," the news agency said citing a Defense Ministry statement.

Earlier, the South Korean Foreign Ministry raised its travel alert for Sudan to Level 4, the highest of its four-tier travel advisor system

Fighting erupted last Saturday between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in the capital Khartoum and its surroundings.

The RSF accused the army of attacking its forces in the south of Khartoum with light and heavy weapons while the military claimed that the paramilitary force was “spreading lies” and labeled it a “rebel” group.

The paramilitary group announced a 72-hour humanitarian truce starting from 6 a.m. local time Friday, saying it coincides with the Muslim Eid al-Fitr holiday marking the end of the fasting month of Ramadan.

Sudan has been without a functioning government since October 2021, when the military dismissed Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok's transitional government and declared a state of emergency in what political forces called a "coup."

* Writing by Islamuddin Sajid