76 Ghanaians to be evacuated from conflict-hit Sudan – Govt

76 Ghanaian national are being evacuated from Sudan owing to the ongoing conflict, the government has said.

The number is made up of 73 students and three footballers based in Sudan.

Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Dr. Kwaku Ampratwum-Sarpong said the Ghanaian citizens will be evacuated to Ethiopia for safety.

Thousands of people have been displaced in Sudan as a result of a deadly war between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces.

Khartoum has been the epicentre of the violence, with civilians suffering the most.

According to Dr. Kwaku Ampratwum-Sarpong, the government would secure the safety of all Ghanaians.

“We have so far accounted for all the Ghanaian students. They are 73; none of them has been harmed, and we have all of them safe in a place. The next batch of Ghanaians is three footballers in Sudan. We have also accounted for them and have put all of them together. The plan is to evacuate them to the nearest country which is Ethiopia”, he said.

Earlier this week, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration announced its preparedness to evacuate Ghanaian nationals trapped in Sudan’s conflict.

Sudan has been gripped by a deadly conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, resulting in avoidable casualties in the past week.

A number of Ghanaian nationals, particularly students, have been affected by the conflict but Ghana’s Honorary Consulate in Khartoum reports that all of its nationals are safe.

A statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration assured that the Ghana Embassy in Cairo, Egypt which has concurrent accreditation to Sudan is working closely with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration and the Honorary Consulate is coordinating the evacuation of Ghanaian nationals to secure their safe passage to Ethiopia.

Source: Citi Newsroom