The Swiss foreign ministry says it is examining ways to evacuate Swiss nationals and some of embassy staff from Sudan in a possible joint evacuation operation with other countries.
Over 100 Swiss nationals are currently in Sudan. However, the unpredictable nature of the conflict and a lack of security guarantees from the parties involved does not allow for a secure and organised departure, said Serge Bavaud, head of crisis management at the foreign ministry in a background discussion with journalists on Friday.
He went on to describe the difficulties surrounding evacuations, which would only be possible with military transport planes.
In addition, the Swiss government does not believe that all the Swiss nationals in Sudan want to leave the country. Only about a dozen have so far expressed interest in departure, said Bavaud.
Sudan has experienced a sharp increase in violence since mid-April, which led to the Swiss government to consider an emergency evacuation for the Swiss nationals living and travelling in the country.
Among the 100 Swiss nationals currently in Sudan, there are seven diplomats, two department of defence members working as part of a UN mission and the embassy staff. Additionally, the Swiss embassy employs around 50 local workers. According to Bavaud, the Swiss embassy in Khartoum is severely affected by the violence. The Swiss ambassador’s private residence and several staff members private residences were also hit during the fighting.
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