211 Ugandans safely return home from volatile Khartoum following Museveni directive
A total of 211 Ugandans who were evacuated from Khartoum, the volatile capital of Sudan, have safely returned home following a directive by President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni.
The evacuees arrived at Entebbe International Airport Thursday morning, on 27 April 2023, and were received by General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, Senior Presidential Advisor on Operations, who supervised the special evacuation operation.
The evacuation
“211 Ugandans living and working in the Republic of Sudan have this morning 27th April 2023 arrived in the country aboard Uganda Airlines following a successful evacuation directed by H.E Kaguta Museveni,” said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The evacuees, in the company of Ambassador Joseph Ocwet, Director General of External Security Organisation, composed of diplomats, students, and business expatriates, touched down at 02:30 am at Entebbe International Airport, Uganda from Bahir Dar Airport in Northern Ethiopia.
Reasons for evacuation
According to the Ugandan Ambassador to Sudan, Dr Rashid Yahya Ssemuddu, the evacuation became necessary due to the conflict between the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) under its former commander and current Sudan Vice President, Lt Gen Mohamed Hamdan, and the Sudan Armed Forces under General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, the de facto leader of Sudan and chairman of the Sovereign Council.
The two generals seized power in the 2021 coup but later fell out, most recently over the planned integration of the RSF into the regular army. Hemeti tried to overthrow the government of al-Burhan by attacking the presidential palace and the airport in Khartoum.
Ugandans left behind
Amb Ssemuddu noted that the total number of Ugandans in Sudan was 300, including a team working at the Ugandan embassy, 19 others who were in transit to Mecca, 120 students at Africa International University, 120 working in Khartoum, and a few others who were on a short visit.
Apart from the 211 Ugandans evacuated through Ethiopia, eight were evacuated with the help of the Saudi Arabian embassy, three made their way through Port Sudan, seven were helped by the United Nations, and others also used the Ethiopia-Sudan border or Southern Sudan. However, roughly 50 Ugandans are still left behind. The government is working hard to make sure that they also come back home.
Ceasefire
A US-brokered ceasefire between Sudan's warring generals entered its second day on Wednesday but remained fragile after witnesses reported fresh air strikes, and paramilitaries claimed to have seized a major oil refinery and power plant. Fighting has killed at least 459 people and wounded more than 4,000 across Africa's third-biggest country, according to UN agencies.
Conclusion
The evacuation of 211 Ugandans from Sudan due to the conflict between the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and the Sudan Armed Forces under General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan has been successful. However, there are still about 50 Ugandans left behind, and the government is working hard to ensure their safe return. The ceasefire between the warring generals in Sudan remains fragile, and the fighting has resulted in the loss of lives and property.