About 100 Dutch evacuated from Sudan

Third and fourth Dutch flights carrying evacuees from Sudan have landed in Jordan, the Ministry of Defense reported. About 100 Dutch people have been evacuated from the country, Minister Wopke Hoekstra of Foreign Affairs reported. The Netherlands has also helped evacuate over 70 people from 14 different nationalities.

A few dozen Dutch people were evacuated on German flights. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported that 43 Dutch people arrived in Berlin overnight. “We are truly grateful for the help of the German Ministries in this difficult situation,” the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Twitter.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs previously said that over 150 Dutch people and embassy workers signed up for evacuation from Sudan.

“At the movement, it is unclear how long it will be possible to evacuate people through this complex and risky operation,” Foreign Affairs said on Monday. “We are working closely with our international partners in this effort. Whenever possible, we will transport each other’s evacuees.”

The Ministry also said it was becoming increasingly difficult to contact Dutch people in Sudan as problems with the telephone and internet connections increased. The Ministry said it would keep trying to reach all the Dutch people who asked to be evacuated until they were safe, according to ANP.

Fighting broke out between the government and militias in the Sudanese capital of Khartoum in mid-April. An estimated 500 civilians have been killed, according to NOS.

The Netherlands launched its evacuation mission shortly after the violence flared up. The first Dutch evacuation flight departed from Sudan during the early hours of Monday morning.