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"Unfortunately, we still have Australians on the ground, and we'll continue to engage through our consular team..."
Under the auspices of the Air Force, a mission was effectively carried out to provide safe evacuation for 36 Australian nationals and their respective families from the conflict-ravaged area of Sudan.
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On Wednesday, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Penny Wong, officially verified that the group was transported from Sudan to Cyprus in an aircraft belonging to the Australian Defense Force (ADF), during the early hours of the morning.
"Unfortunately, we still have Australians on the ground, and we'll continue to engage through our consular team with the Australians who are on the ground, and I urge people to make sure they are registered," Wong told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) radio.
"This brings to, I think 191 Australians that we've assisted or have been able to secure passage out of the country since the crisis began," she added.
Australia supported the international evacuation effort overnight with a flight carrying 36 Australians and their family members, as well as citizens from 6 other countries.
— Senator Penny Wong (@SenatorWong) May 2, 2023
Thank you to @DefenceAust and @dfat officials on the ground.
More than 190 Australians have left Sudan. pic.twitter.com/lPHNGPDnVI
According to Wong, the governmental authorities express optimism towards conducting additional evacuation air travel, yet given the deteriorating security landscape prevailing in the African nation, confirming such a stance becomes uncertain.
"The security situation in Sudan is very dangerous, and it is volatile, and as you know we have been doing all we can to assist Australians with the support of our partners, bearing in mind we don't have people on the ground in an embassy in Sudan," said Wong.
The rising incidence of countries evacuating their citizens from Sudan is attributed to the intense confrontations between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces that have been ongoing since mid-April.
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