Sudan Evacuation Enter Phase Two, 298 Indonesians will Be Evacuated
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24 April 2023 22:15 WIB
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Indonesian Minister of Foreign Affairs Retno Marsudi said on Monday, April 24, 2023, that the Indonesian government will immediately transfer 298 Indonesian citizens from conflict areas in Sudan during the second stage of evacuation.
Retno explained that according to the initial plan, the evacuation of Indonesian citizens located in Sudan will be conducted in a single phase by taking advantage of an ongoing ceasefire.
"However, with the restriction of fuel for busses that will be used to transport Indonesian citizens and other evacuees, the evacuation cannot be done in one phase," Retno said in an online press conference.
The Indonesian citizens, who are mostly students and five company workers, were finally evacuated during the second phase of the evacuation.
In the first phase, the Indonesian government evacuated 538 Indonesian citizens from Khartoum, which is the main location of the battle between the Sudanese army and the RSF paramilitary force.
Minister Retno said that the evacuation process of Indonesian citizens from Sudan was not easy because it must be carried out when the battle is still raging.
Therefore, the government tried to prepare a well-thought plan prioritizing safety.
"I always follow the evacuation process on an hourly basis. I also reported the evacuation process to the President [Joko Widodo]," Retno said.
In the process, the Indonesian government continues to establish communication with the authority in Sudan to ensure safe passage for Indonesian citizens.
The Indonesian representative in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, which will become the transit point for Indonesians before being flown to Indonesia, also continues to establish communication to Saudi authorities to make sure the process can continue well.
"I called on every Indonesian citizen still located in Sudan and have not reported themselves, to immediately report to the Indonesian Embassy in Khartoum to be evacuated in the second phase," Retno said.
ANTARA
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