As the window of opportunity to evacuate Canadians stranded in Sudan “shrinks” as fighting nears major airports across the country, the federal government and Canadian forces are weighing their options for initiating sea and land withdrawals.

During a virtual news conference on Saturday morning, National Defense Minister Anita Anand said about 375 Canadians have been evacuated from Sudan so far, but that about 300 other citizens are waiting to get help from Ottawa to get out of the battle-torn east African country.

While two evacuation flights took place on Friday and another is planned for Saturday, Minister Anand acknowledged other means need to be explored to bring back all Canadians stranded in the country.

“The Canadian Forces currently have two Hercules aircraft, a Globemaster aircraft and a Polaris aircraft to support the mission. […] As the situation continues to evolve, we are reviewing our options for air but also sea and land extractions,” she revealed.

The military ships HMCS Montreal and NM Asterix, which were due to go to the Indo-Pacific on another mission, were therefore instead instructed to remain near the country’s largest port, Port-Sudan, “in case they become useful in evacuation efforts”.

Canada also intends to review what its allies are doing regarding ground evacuations. Minister Anand specifically cited the example of the United States, which on Friday organized a convoy of buses to evacuate around 300 of its nationals trapped in Sudan.

“This is one of the initiatives we are monitoring because we see that the time slot at Wadi Seidna airport is deteriorating rapidly due to the fighting that is approaching,” the minister added.

your evacuation

“The situation is dynamic and is forcing us to make decisions that are in the best interests of Canadians and for their safety. It is precisely for this reason that we are reviewing all of our options and working with our allies on planning and risk assessment,” said Ms.^Me anand.

At least one more evacuation flight will take place on Saturday, according to the minister, as Canadians are still waiting at the airport to flee the country. On Thursday, two flights by Hercules aircraft organized by the Canadian government had 117 people on board, including 42 Canadians.

On Friday, two more flights took 221 people out of the country, including 68 Canadians and six permanent residents, but two other flights were also canceled. In particular, a flight was turned around when the airport was closed after a Turkish plane was fired on from the ground, damaging the plane and injuring a crew member.

Other Canadians also fled Sudan on flights organized by Canada-allied countries, Ms.^Me anand.

Help for Sudanese already in Canada

At the same press conference, Minister for Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Sean Fraser announced that people of Sudanese origin already in Canada can extend their status to stay longer in the country from Sunday.

These people can also change their status as a visitor, student or temporary worker to obtain a work permit free of charge.

“These actions will help protect the safety of the Sudanese community in Canada and help families stay together in a safe place in Canada,” Fraser said.

In addition, the immigration authorities do not require a passport or travel document from Sudanese when applying for a permanent residence visa in Canada.

The fights continue

Gunfire and heavy artillery fire could still be heard in some areas of the capital Khartoum on Saturday, despite Sudan’s ceasefire being extended by a further 72 hours on Friday.

The civilian death toll has also risen to 411 people, according to the Sudanese Doctors Syndicate, a group that monitors the death toll. According to this union, around 2,000 other civilians were injured in the clashes.

According to the Sudanese Ministry of Health, 528 people died in the fighting and 4,500 were injured.

For the past 15 days, fighting between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces, a powerful paramilitary group, has also left entire neighborhoods of Khartoum without electricity and running water. Citizens sheltering in their homes are starting to run out of food while thousands of people try to flee the country as quickly as possible.

More than 50,000 refugees – mostly women and children – have made it to Chad, Egypt, South Sudan and the Central African Republic, according to the United Nations.

For its part, Canada always recommends its nationals trapped in Sudan to contact Global Affairs Canada to determine the safest course of action to exit the country.

With Associated Press

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