DFA: 156 Filipinos in Sudan ‘ready to leave’ as deadly clashes rage on

Sudan map. INQUIRER STOCK PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines —The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said Monday that only 156 Filipinos are “ready to leave” violence-torn Sudan even as around 300 Filipinos based in the African country have sought the assistance of the Philippine Embassy in Egypt for their repatriation.

“[O]nly 156 are ready to leave at a moment’s notice,” DFA Undersecretary Eduardo de Vega told INQUIRER.net in a message.

He explained that the Philippine government’s repatriation plan for Filipinos in Sudan is through renting vehicles to transport the Filipinos from Sudan’s capital Khartoum to the border of Egypt.

“From there, [they will be brought] to Aswan and Aswan to Cairo by plane then, Cairo to Manila,” de Vega said.

Repatriation of Filipinos will be done in batches and is expected to begin this day, April 24, he added.

READ: DFA hopes to begin repatriation of Filipinos in Sudan next week

De Vega noted, however, that he cannot say for certain how long the repatriation will take.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said over the weekend that the Philippine government is gathering more information on the ground so it can chart a strategy to bring Filipinos out of the battle-ridden country.

Some foreign nationals began to evacuate Africa’s third-largest country on Sunday, April 23, even as skies remained unsafe amid continuous gunfire and air strikes.

READ: Foreigners start evacuations from Sudan as battle rages

According to the World Health Organization, at least 420 people were killed while 3,700 were hurt in the raging violence between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces who were fighting over power.

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