APA-Pretoria (South Africa) International Relations and Cooperation Minister Naledi Pandor says 77 South Africans have safely crossed into Egypt from war-torn Sudan, alongside nationals of four other countries.
Pandor said late Tuesday that South Africa was also requested to assist with transportation for Angolan, Namibian, Zimbabwean and Brazilian citizens during the evacuation mission.
The minister, however, did not give the figures of the citizens from the other four countries and how they would proceed home from Egypt.
“They have crossed the border into Egypt successfully and safely,” Pandor said.
She added: “The task now is to get them to South Africa and that task lies in the capable hands of the South African National Defence Force (SAND) officials who are in Egypt.”
International relations and cooperation ministry spokesperson Clayson Monyela said two buses were used to safely carry the stranded citizens and the others to the border with Egypt.
“We had officials from the South African Embassy in Egypt to receive them and facilitate their entry into Egypt. The South African government will pay for their flights back to South Africa,” Monyela tweeted.
He said there were 12 more South African nationals that would leave Sudan on Wednesday.
War broke out on 15 April between Sudanese Armed Forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces following their failure to integrate the two into a unified army.
Over 450 people, mostly civilians, have since been killed in the conflict fought mainly in the capital Khartoum and other cities.
NM/jn/APA