First Group of Kenyan Students Evacuated From Sudan Land Safely in Nairobi
The first group of Kenyan students, consisting of 19 Kenyans, 19 Somalis, and one Saudi Arabian, who were stranded in Sudan due to the ongoing conflict, have been evacuated and have landed safely in Nairobi, Kenya. They had traveled by road to South Sudan before boarding a military aircraft to Nairobi, where they were received by Defense Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale.
He commended the students for their resilience and encouraged Kenyans stranded in Sudan to register with the State Department for Diaspora Affairs for logistical purposes. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has said that three evacuation programs are active and expected to transport over 300-400 Kenyans to safety.
Other countries, such as Djibouti, Egypt, and Ethiopia, have also evacuated their citizens from Sudan due to the ongoing conflict. The UN Secretary-General António Guterres has warned that the violence in Sudan poses a significant risk of causing a catastrophic conflagration that could engulf the entire region and beyond.
As a result of the conflict, residents of the capital city Khartoum have been instructed to remain indoors, with limited access to food and water due to the destruction of vital infrastructure such as water pipes.
Meanwhile, a 72-hour ceasefire began in Sudan at midnight on Monday, but this is the third suspension of fighting since violence erupted on April 15th, and previous ceasefires have not held. The US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, has announced that an agreement has been reached between the army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) after 48 hours of negotiations.
However, it remains unclear whether this ceasefire will hold. At least 400 people have been killed since the conflict began. The situation in Sudan remains volatile, and the international community is urging both sides to engage in genuine and open dialogue to resolve their differences.
The evacuation of foreign nationals stranded in Sudan is continuing, and the Kenyan government is working to ensure the safe return of its citizens.
First Group of Kenyan Students Evacuated From Sudan Land Safely in Nairobi