South Sudan has initiated an evacuation campaign to assist its citizens in war-torn Sudan after authorities there issued an ultimatum for foreigners to leave.
South Sudan’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Ramadan Mohamed Abdallah Goch, stated that the country’s leadership is verifying reports of Sudanese authorities cracking down on and detaining foreigners, predominantly South Sudanese, at the border regions.
Those detained are being prepared for deportation.
Led by Akoc Akuei Manhiem, the evacuation team, including senior and former government officials, aims to mobilize support from the population, business community, humanitarian organizations, civil society, faith-based groups, and other stakeholders.
Former presidential spokesman Ateny Wek Ateny described the initiative as a response to the humanitarian and security crisis facing South Sudanese nationals in Sudan. He urged the Sudanese government to allow time to gather resources for the evacuation.
“I appeal to the government to engage Sudanese parties to extend the ultimatum to mobilize resources and save lives. We need time to identify people, locations, and safe routes for evacuation,” Ateny said.
High-level South Sudanese security and diplomatic sources indicated that the Sudanese armed forces are unhappy with the presence of South Sudanese nationals, some of whom have been found fighting alongside the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
The involvement of South Sudanese nationals in the conflict remains unclear, with some acquiring arms for self-defense and others conscripted involuntarily.
A senior South Sudanese diplomat explained the difficulties in determining how these nationals became involved in the conflict. He shared his experiences of encouraging South Sudanese to return home, emphasizing the challenges faced during the integration process.
The ongoing conflict in Sudan since April 2023 has strained South Sudan’s resources, causing economic distress and high inflation due to disrupted oil flows and an influx of refugees and returnees.
