DFA: More Filipino evacuees cross Sudan-Egypt border

OFW EVACUEES. Philippine Ambassador to Egypt Ezzedin Tago assists the Filipino evacuees who arrived at the Sudan-Egypt border via government-rented buses on Friday (April 28, 2023). A total of 340 Filipinos from Sudan are now on Egyptian soil. (Photo: Rachel Arenas/Facebook)

MANILA – More than 300 Filipinos from violence-stricken Sudan have safely crossed the border and are now on Egyptian soil, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said Thursday amid ongoing rapid evacuation efforts to extract more nationals.

The department said 227 Filipinos recently arrived at the Egypt-Sudan border, joining the first batch of 50 who also traveled by land via government-rented buses from the capital Khartoum.

“They were met by (Philippine) Ambassador (to Egypt) Ezzedin Tago, having crossed the Egyptian-Sudanese border of Argeen aboard buses, which DFA leased for the Filipinos in Khartoum. There are now a total of 340 Filipinos from Sudan on Egyptian soil,” it said.

DFA Undersecretary Eduardo Jose de Vega, in a separate radio interview, meanwhile, said about 400 Filipinos were able to leave the capital, some of whom left through other means.

De Vega said the Philippine Consulate in Jeddah is also working to facilitate the transit of Filipinos who used Port Sudan as exit point.

“Pagdating sa Port Sudan mayroon doon na Saudi Arabia vessels na nagpi-pick up once a day, ang problema makikipagkumpitensya ka sa ilang libong ibang evacuees (Once they are in Port Sudan, there are Saudi Arabian vessels that pick up evacuees once a day but they have to compete with thousands of other evacuees),” he said.

“Ang ating konsulado sa Jeddah ay tumutulak para kumuha ng Filipinos, mga 10 na ang nadala nila sa Saudi Arabia (Our consulate in Jeddah is working to get Filipinos and has already extracted 10 and brought to Saudi Arabia).”

About 700 Filipinos were living and working in Sudan when a violent power struggle between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) erupted on April 15.

In the final hours of a three-day ceasefire, the army and RSF agreed to extend the truce for another 72 hours.