Photo credit: Department of Foreign Affairs

In response to the ongoing conflict in Sudan, the Philippine government has stepped up its efforts to evacuate overseas Filipinos (OFs) from the area. In the last 12 hours, over 300 Filipinos have been successfully evacuated from Khartoum through government efforts led by the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA).

The evacuations were carried out in coordination with the Philippine Embassies in Egypt, Greece, and Saudi Arabia, as well as the respective governments of those countries. Philippine Ambassador to Egypt Ezzedin Tago welcomed 340 Filipinos at the Argeen border this morning after they were cleared by Egyptian authorities for entry. Meanwhile, eight Filipinos were transported to Greece via a Greek military aircraft and will be repatriated to the Philippines on the next available flight.

There are still 58 Filipinos in the Port of Sudan, waiting for a ship that will take them to Jeddah, where 16 Filipinos have already been received by the team led by Consul General Edgar Tomas Auxilian. DFA teams in Athens, Jeddah, and at the Egypt-Sudan border are working together to assist Filipinos from Khartoum and are making arrangements for their repatriation via the next available flights.

The Philippine government remains committed to ensuring the safety and well-being of its citizens abroad, especially in times of crisis. The DFA continues to coordinate with relevant authorities to ensure the safe passage of Filipino evacuees and is monitoring the situation closely. As of writing, the number of Filipinos who have fled Khartoum has reached 496.