Canada ends evacuation flights from Sudan over 'deteriorating security situation'
CTV
The federal government will no longer offer evacuation flights out of Sudan 'due to the deteriorating security situation' in the country.
The federal government will no longer offer evacuation flights out of Sudan "due to the deteriorating security situation" in the country.
The latest travel advisory on Sudan urges Canadians to avoid travelling to the Wadi Seidna Air Base, north of the capital, Khartoum, where countries including Canada have organized flights for their citizens and others.
Canadians who want to leave Sudan may be able to find commercial options through Port Sudan along the Red Sea, about 800 kilometres away from Khartoum, the federal government said in an updated travel notice issued Saturday night.
Speaking to reporters Sunday morning, Defence Minister Anita Anand confirmed that Canada led two more evacuation flights out of Sudan on Saturday, with both Royal Canadian Air Force CC-130 aircraft carrying approximately 205 passengers in total, including 60 Canadians.
Canada's ambassador to Sudan, Philip Lupul, also shared news of the latest evacuation efforts.
"Night moves! Another 200 or so Canadians and other nationalities successfully delivered out of Sudan to safety tonight," Lupul tweeted Saturday evening. "Special shout out to the hardworking air and ground crew attending the Hercs tonight."
According to the Department of National Defence, approximately 400 Canadian citizens and permanent residents have been brought out of Sudan on national and allied flights. The Canadian Armed Forces has conducted a total of six flights out of Wadi Seidna Air Base, carrying nearly 550 people in all, among them 140 U.S. citizens.
