The recent reports of the Sudan crisis Switzerland have shut its embassy in Khartoum for security reasons.
The fight that erupted between the paramilitary group and the Sudanese army has abandoned thousands of foreign nationals, including aid workers and diplomats in the country, including nationals of the UK, US, Germany, Greece, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the Gulf States and Italy with Schengen visas, who are closing their embassies for safety and security to evacuate their nationals while trapping millions of Sudanese without any means to basic amenities.
Due to the current security situation in Sudan, the Swiss Foreign Ministry announced on Twitter that the country’s embassy has been closed and its staff has been evacuated along with their families.
The Swiss foreign ministry tweeted late on Sunday, saying, “Our staff and their families have been evacuated and are safe.”
Further reports disclosed by the Foreign Ministry say seven embassy staff and five accompanying people have been evacuated from the violent situation in Sudan. The people were reportedly in good health, with two people on their way to neighbouring Ethiopia, and the rest were evacuated to Djibouti with help from France.
While work was persistent to help Swiss nationals stuck in the ferocious situations, the foreign ministry on Friday reported that there were about 100 Swiss nationals registered in Sudan, and others were thought to be travelling the Red Sea as tourists.
“The exercise was made possible thanks to a collaboration with our partners, in particular France,” Cassis said.
France said on Monday that it was still trying to evacuate people and that 388 people had been able to leave so far.
With 101 people aboard, a German air force plane evacuated from Sudan landed in Berlin early on Monday while a terrifying truce was held in the capital of Sudan.
Sudan Conflict
Sudan has been in the news recently for its violent clashes between two powerful military factions for complete control of the country. This conflict has left more than 420 people dead, including 264 civilians, and thousands injured in recent days. Clashes were seen worsening after weeks of intensified tensions between the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group led by Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo, also known as Hemedti, and the military, led by Lt. Gen. Abdel Fattah al-Burah.
Origin and Conflict of Two Powerful Troops
The long-running conflict began in April 2019 when a general deposed Sudan’s long-serving authoritarian President Omar al-Bashir following a widespread uprising against him. Even after Bashir was removed from power, Sudanese citizens persisted in protesting for free elections and the establishment of a civilian government. After four months, the protestors and military concluded an agreement, and finally, it was decided to establish the Sovereignty Council, a body with military and civilian officials that would supervise Sudan’s elections by the end of 2023.
However, the new establishment was too weak to be quickly overtaken by Burhan as de facto head of the nation after the depose of Hamdok’s administration in October 2021. The partner of Burhan in the military coup and the vice president of Dagalo assumed the position of second in command while Burhan declared the military would be in charge of elections until the July 2023 elections.
The outbreak of fighting has scattered millions of people in Sudan, worsening the situation and leading to the closure of the Swiss embassy and the evacuation of Swiss nationals.