11 OFWS from South Sudan to arrive in PH today

In this handout image provided by the United Nations Mission South Sudan, taken on Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2013, civilians arrive at the UNMISS compound adjacent to Juba International Airport to take refuge. Sporadic gunfire rang out in the capital, Juba, overnight as the military “cleared out remnants” of a faction of soldiers accused of mounting a coup attempt, the country’s foreign minister said Tuesday amid an ongoing hunt for the former deputy president who is accused of leading the failed plot. AP

MANILA, Philippines – Eleven overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), fleeing from the ongoing conflict in South Sudan, will arrive in Manila Wednesday night, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said.

DFA spokesperson Raul Hernandez, in a text message to media, said the group of engineers and field supervisors fled South Sudan last December 22 on board a US C-130 plane bound for Nairobi, Kenya.

“Our Embassy in Nairobi continues to assist those who wish to leave South Sudan and efforts are underway to locate and contact as many Filipinos as possible,” Hernandez said.

OFWs working in South Sudan were asked to undergo voluntary repatriation after the DFA raised crisis alert level 3 there.

Reports said thousands have died in South Sudan following an attempted military coup against President Salva Kiir Mayardit.

Hernandez said 31 Filipino workers are still in the conflict-ridden country while others were successfully evacuated elsewhere.

Fifteen OFWs are now in Uganda, as 11 more are on their way there. Meanwhile, a group of 20 Filipino migrants are in Kenya, four are in Khartoum in Sudan and five are on a flight going to Dubai.

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