A 72-hour ceasefire is ending tonight, and the federal government is rushing to assist Australians stuck there trying to leave war-torn Sudan.
Australian flights out of Sudan are not assured following the expiration of the 72-hour ceasefire in Sudan tonight. A 72-hour ceasefire is ending tonight, and the federal government is rushing to assist Australians stuck there trying to leave war-torn Sudan.
Given that there is no Australian embassy in the country, relatives of the more than 100 citizens stranded there have urged the government to take further action.
Even while the government has arranged several planes out of the country with the aid of other countries, it cannot guarantee any additional departures, leading to anger among the stranded citizens and their families. Melbourne resident Eltyab Eltyab wrote about his journey out of Sudan.
Eltyab told 9News that the process "was very intimidating." It's a tremendous risk, and you must take it alone. His friend Razaz Elsayed, who lives in Sydney, helped him plan his escape without the assistance of the federal authorities.
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Until Eltyab could board a British flight, Elsayed claimed she called and sent a barrage of emails to the Canadian and British embassies. Why did I spend the previous three days carrying out (Foreign Minister) Penny Wong's duties? Elsayed enquired.
"Why is it responding to Ukraine so quickly? Why are responses to nations like Sudan taking so long? While Foreign Minister Wong revealed that a few flights out of the country had been booked, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese claimed the government was trying to contact Australians in Sudan.
"Australians in Sudan can access several flights operated by partner countries today (27 April) from Wadi Sayyidna airfield north of Khartoum," Wong posted on Twitter.
"Other flights cannot be guaranteed after the 72-hour ceasefire expires tonight.
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"Australians who intend to leave should seriously consider doing so right away. The security situation is still tricky. If you can't get to Wadi Sayyidna, ships go from Port Sudan to Jeddah (a city in Saudi Arabia). As a result, carefully assess the dangers associated with any departure route.
She said the government kept in touch with registered Australians and continues to engage with partners to secure evacuations.