Sudan conflict: 50 Ugandans yet to be evacuated
Some of the 211 Ugandans disembark a Uganda Airlines plane on April 27, 2023 at Entebbe Airport after they were successfully evacuated from conflict-hit Sudan. PHOTO/PAUL ADUDE
Uganda’s ambassador to Sudan Dr Rashid Yahya Ssemuddu has said there are 50 more Ugandans yet to be evacuated as conflict rages in Sudan between warring factions.
“There are 19 Ugandans still receiving treatment at Alsalam Hospital. We have eight who we evacuated with the help of our Saudi Arabian Friends, three who made their way through Port Sudan, seven who were helped by UN and there are others who used the Sudan-Ethiopia border. Others who went through Southern Sudan,” Ssemuddu said at Entebbe after the arrival of 211 evacuees.
“We are following them up as we created a data base to ensure that we locate them. The moment we find them, with the support of our government, we are working hard to make sure that they all come back home” he said.
The 211 Thursday arrivals were evacuated from Bahir Dar Airport in Ethiopia by a chartered Uganda Airlines flight that touched down Entebbe at 2:30am.
In Sudan, a power struggle between army chief Gen Abdel Fatah al-Burhan and his deputy-turned rival, Gen Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo alias Hemedti, began on April 15.
According to Ssemuddu, a lot infrastructure has been destroyed and many lives lost from both sides within the period.
“The total number of Ugandans which we had in Sudan was 300, including 18 working at our embassy, 19 who were on transit going to Mecca, 120 students at Africa International University and 120 working in Khartoum and a few who were on short visits there” he said.
Ssemuddu said no single Ugandan’s death has been recorded in the conflict and noted that there is possibility that there is no Ugandan living in Sudan outside Khartoum where the majority of the Ugandan Community reside.
Ugandan politician Norah Bigirwa-Nyendwoha said all organs of the security agencies participated in the safe evacuation process of Ugandans who were stuck in Khartoum.
“We want to thank President Yoweri Museveni for ensuring the safe return of our citizens although they haven’t all yet returned, all security agencies, from SFC, students and business people for their return, we are grateful” she said.
