Dutch government begins evacuation from Sudan

The Netherlands is the latest country to announce it will begin an evacuation of Sudan. The decision was announced by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs a day after the army of the Sudanese government said it would provide assistance to many countries who decide to leave the African nation.

“An operation by various countries is underway to evacuate compatriots from Sudan. The Netherlands is also participating with a team in Jordan from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Defense. They will do their utmost to collect Dutch people as quickly and safely as possible,” said Foreign Affairs Minister Wopke Hoekstra.

The first Dutch people will be evacuated on Sunday, and they were informed about the possibility earlier in the day as well as an assembly point. The ministry did not release details about the mission due to security reasons, according to news service ANP. Likewise, Dutch people in Sudan were told not to disclose any details about evacuation plans.

“We deeply sympathize with the Dutch in Sudan and we will continue our efforts to evacuate people where and when possible.”

As fighting between the government army and the Rapid Support Forces escalated in Sudan last week, the Netherlands sent transport aircraft, diplomatic staff, and military personnel to Jordan. The team and equipment was sent in anticipation of a possible evacuation once forces in Sudan violated ceasefire agreements. Thus far, violence in Khartoum made it impossible for other countries to evacuate from Sudan using the airport there.

The Foreign Affairs Ministry previously said it was in contact with 152 Dutch people present in Sudan, according to ANP. However, it also anticipated that the final number was higher. The ministry has been providing updated advice to Dutch citizens in Sudan via its website.

The Dutch company Proximities also helped on Saturday with the evacuation of 22 foreign employees working for another Dutch company based in Port Sudan, a city on the Red Sea on the eastern coast of the country.

France also began the process of collecting its diplomats and citizens in Sudan as part of an evacuation. The European Union member state has also been providing assistance to other European nations, but it has not yet evacuated Dutch citizens from Sudan.

Both the United States and Saudi Arabia have also collected people in Sudan and taken them to other countries. Staff members working for the U.S. embassy in Sudan were evacuated, U.S. President Joe Biden said on Saturday night. Biden said Djibouti, Ethiopia and Saudi Arabia all provided assistance during the evacuation.

The American embassy in Sudan was closed, but the U.S. pledged to support its citizens still located there.