The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Friday said at least 496 Filipinos have already evacuated the Sudanese capital Khartoum to neighboring countries. Foreign Affairs spokesperson Ma. Teresita Daza said Manila is coordinating with the governments of Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Greece for the passage of Filipinos continuously streaming out of the country through the respective Philippine Embassies. On Friday, 340 Filipinos crossed the Argeen border in Egypt after they were cleared for entry following several delays in the processing of documents at the border due to the influx of evacuees. This brings to 414 the number of Filipinos who are either at the Sudanese-Egyptian border or have already crossed into Egypt. Eight Filipinos from Khartoum also arrived in Greece onboard a Greek military aircraft, with Philippine Ambassador Giovanni Palec receiving them. The eight will be repatriated via the next available flight to Manila, Daza said. Meanwhile, 58 Filipinos in Port Sudan are awaiting the ship that will bring them to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Daza said a total of 16 Filipinos have already been received by the team in Jeddah led by Consul General Edgar Tomas Auxilian. In a text message to the Philippine News Agency (PNA), DFA Undersecretary Eduardo Jose de Vega said two more government-rented buses carrying at least 116 repatriates are in transit from Khartoum to Egypt. They are set to depart the capital in a few hours, he said. The evacuation efforts funded by the agency's assistance-to-nationals fund are continuous and DFA teams are in Athens, Jeddah, and at the Egypt-Sudan border to arrange the evacuees' repatriation via the next available flights. A three-day ceasefire brokered by the United States between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces began on April 25 and was extended for another 72 hours. Data from the United Nations showed that the violent power struggle has already killed over 450 and injured more than 4,000. Non-government organization International Medical Corps said 18 humanitarian aid workers were among the fatalities, including three in North Darfur.
Source: Philippines News Agency
