The federal government has conducted its first evacuation flight from war-torn Sudan, National Defence Minister Anita Anand says.
Anand did not share details other than saying the evacuation flight occurred on an RCAF C-130 Hercules aircraft. She promised further details will come in an announcement Thursday morning in Enfield, N.S.
About 200 members of the Canadian Armed Forces have deployed to the region along with military planes and ships for evacuation operations.
Hundreds of people have been killed in nearly two weeks of conflict between the army and a rival paramilitary force, the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which are locked in a power struggle threatening to destabilize the wider region.
A shaky 72-hour ceasefire has allowed nations to evacuate their citizens, but it’s set to expire Thursday night. The United States and African nations are trying to secure an extension.
More than 11 days into the crisis in Sudan, roughly 180 Canadians have been evacuated from the country out of 700 who have requested assistance, according to updated government figures.
Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly said that more than 1,800 Canadians in Sudan are registered with the federal government. As of Tuesday night, at least 1,700 had been contacted by the government.
More to come.
— with files from Global News’ Mercedes Stephenson, Alex Boutilier and Reuters.
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