Of the 22 Portuguese identified as living in Sudan, Eleven are already in Djibouti, and the rest, “with the exception of one who wanted to stay and who is in a relatively safe area in the south of the country”, are “on their way to the border”. This was announced by the Minister of Foreign Affairs on Monday.
João Gomes Cravinho stated that “they are not all out of the country yet, but they are all out of a situation of greater danger”.
Until they are all out of Sudan and until they are all on national territory, the government ensures that it will continue to “monitor and support” the situation of the Portuguese.
The minister reiterated that of the 22 nationals identified in Sudan, 21 wanted to leave and that they are the ones being guided and supported in the process of leaving the country.
In Porto, Cravinho indicated that a Portuguese national had come with the Spanish mission and that “she is already in Madrid”. “Others came with French support, and others in a United Nations convoy, others in an international school convoy. There are now a number of ways to withdraw,” the official explained.
When asked if it is still too early to speak of the success of the operation, the minister said: “Until they are all out of the country, they are not completely free of danger, but now they are all out of the conflict zone”.
The government’s expectation for the withdrawal of the Portuguese in Sudan “is positive,” he said. “We continue to work intensively and carefully, safety is of course paramount.” insured.
After ensuring the safety of the national citizens, “follows the logistical issue, how to remove them from Djibouti in particular, where most of them will be”.
The foreign minister also said that the transport of the Portuguese from Africa is being analyzed, whether it will be through the air force or aircraft from allied countries “to closer places, such as Madrid and Paris”, where later the air force would “get them on”.
He clarified that there is no “European Union coordination”, but “very close coordination of ours, mine and the defense minister, with allies, especially Spain and France”.
The ruler added that “there are still a few hundred Europeans” in Sudan” and rejected the delay in the Portuguese repatriation operation.
“We manage to get ours out. There was very close support from our embassy in Cairo, from our honorary consul in Khartoum and from the structures of the foreign and defense ministries from Lisbon,” said Gomes Cravinho.
Regarding the Portuguese who chose to remain in Sudan, the minister said contact would be maintained and that the citizen “is in an area where there is no conflict and we hope everything goes well”.
Violent clashes have erupted in Sudan since April 15, in a conflict between the forces of General Abdel Fattah al-Burhane, the country’s de facto leader since the 2021 coup, and a former deputy-turned-rival General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, commander of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) paramilitary group.
The preliminary balance of the clashes indicates that more than 420 people have been killed and 3,700 injured, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
With Lusa
Source: DN
