South Korea follow Japan’s example, to send military aircraft to evacuate nationals from Sudan

South Korea, on Friday, said it would send a military aircraft and soldiers to evacuate its nationals stranded in Sudan, where fighting between the Sudanese Army and paramilitary Rapid Support Forces {RSF} has led to the death of more than 300 people.

This is coming after Japan took a similar step and on Friday sent a military plane to try and fetch its citizens from the conflict-hit country.

Violence erupted on Saturday between forces loyal to Sudan’s army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and his deputy, Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, who commands RSF.

Heavy gunfire and explosions have been reported in the capital Khartoum and elsewhere in the country on Friday, despite appeals by world powers for an end-of-Ramadan ceasefire.

According to South Korea’s defence ministry, it would send a military C-130J transport jet and troops to evacuate its nationals.

“The fighting in Sudan still continues and the Khartoum International Airport in the capital city, where our nationals are located, is closed,” the ministry said in a statement.

Read also:Nigerians in Sudan to be evacuated back home, NiDCOM says

The South Korean aircraft and military personnel will be put on standby at a nearby US military base in Djibouti until they are able to carry out the evacuation, the ministry added.

There are 26 South Koreans in Sudan, including diplomatic staff, who are waiting to be evacuated, according to Seoul’s foreign ministry.

President Yoon Suk Yeol had called on officials to help get the Koreans to safety earlier Friday, his office said, after being briefed with information suggesting the situation in Sudan could further worsen in the days ahead.

Japan’s Self-Defence Forces {SDF}, on Friday, said a C-130 transport aircraft had departed for Djibouti, adding that the purpose of the mission is to “swiftly make necessary preparations for the transportation of Japanese personnel and others in the Republic of Sudan”, the SDF said in a tweet alongside a photo of the aircraft taking off.

Around 60 Japanese people are in Sudan, including embassy staff, Tokyo has said.

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