As clashes between rival military factions continue in Sudan, thousands of foreign nationals have been evacuated from the country, and local families have fled the capital city, Khartoum. Despite a 72-hour ceasefire agreement signed on Friday, witnesses reported that fighting continued over the weekend, including a major battle in the Halfaya neighbourhood of Khartoum. The Sudan Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces have been involved in the fighting. Meanwhile, local residents reported that markets and shops have been targeted by looters as supplies of food, water, and medicine run low. The situation has prompted the deployment of Sudanese police in Khartoum for the first time since the beginning of the clashes, to maintain security amid the looting.
The ongoing instability has led to the evacuation of foreign nationals from Sudan, including the UK, China, the United Arab Emirates, and the US. Some countries have been evacuating their citizens since the middle of June, with the UK announcing on Saturday that it had evacuated over 1,888 people on 21 flights since evacuation operations began on Tuesday. China reported that it had evacuated 940 Chinese citizens and 231 foreign personnel from Sudan to Saudi Arabia between Wednesday and Saturday. The United Arab Emirates said that it had evacuated Emirati citizens and nationals of 16 other countries, including vulnerable groups like children and the elderly.
Despite the evacuation of foreign nationals, the situation on the ground in Sudan remains dire. Reports indicate that hundreds of people have died, and thousands have been wounded since the fighting began. Experts have warned of the risk of a humanitarian disaster, citing shortages of food, water, medicine, and electricity. The situation has forced many local citizens to flee Khartoum, with more than ten thousand families migrating to the city of Shendi, 172 km north of Khartoum, in the past two weeks alone. The citizens of Shendi have launched an initiative to help the displaced families, providing them with free housing, food, and medical assistance.