UAE evacuates a further 178 people from Sudan

The Emirates has operated five flights that have rescued hundreds since April 29

A plane carrying 178 people rescued from Sudan has landed in the UAE, following the arrival of 176 evacuees on a similar flight on Saturday.

The passengers on the latest flight were from seven countries.

The Emirates continues to prioritise the evacuation of the most vulnerable groups, including the sick, children, the elderly and women, the government said.

Among those on the flight was a Sudanese child wounded by a stray bullet in the continuing clashes in the North African country.

The boy was admitted to Sheikh Khalifa Medical City hospital in Abu Dhabi.

The UAE will host the evacuees and provide them with support and assistance before their safe transfer to their home countries.

So far, it has evacuated the citizens of about 24 different countries on five flights that have carried hundreds since April 29.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation confirmed the success of the evacuation operation, which has been carried out by the UAE as part of its humanitarian efforts.

The Emirates continues to provide services to the citizens of different countries who are stranded in the city of Port Sudan amid efforts to arrange their evacuation.

The Ministry affirmed the UAE's commitment to working with its partners and the international community and stressed the importance of intensifying efforts to reach a ceasefire and seek a return to the political framework and dialogue to restore political stability and security in Sudan.

Senior UN aid envoy Martin Griffiths arrived in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on Sunday to discuss the worsening crisis which experts fear could leave 2.5 million people without enough food and trigger a wave of mass migration involving about a million people.

Saudi Arabia has been working with the US and allies to secure a ceasefire since fighting began in Sudan on April 15.

However, rival generals Mohamed Dagalo and Abdel Fattah Al Burhan have shown little desire for compromise as the war enters its fourth week.

Riyadh and Washington have supported the “pre-negotiation talks” and urged the rivals to “get actively involved”.

At least 700 have been killed by fighting, the majority civilians, but the true death toll is probably far higher as fighting spreads to remote parts of the country and hospitals shut down.

Several truce deals have been declared without effect since fighting erupted between the army and paramilitary forces on April 15 in the poverty-stricken country, which has a history of political instability.

More than 100,000 people have already fled the country.