Ottawa Looks to Allies to Possibly Evacuate Canadians Stuck in Sudan

Smoke is seen in Khartoum, Sudan, April 22, 2023. (The Canadian Press/AP, Marwan Ali)

Canada is working with “like-minded countries” to help citizens who remain in Sudan flee the country.

Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly says Canada is working with “like-minded countries” to help citizens who remain in Sudan flee the country as an armed conflict there escalates.

Hundreds have been killed and thousands injured in just 10 days after power-sharing negotiations between the country’s armed forces and its paramilitary troops rapidly deteriorated.

Joly says Global Affairs Canada is trying to contact all Canadians in Sudan who have registered with the government, and she repeated calls for anyone who hasn’t yet done so is urged to get in touch immediately.

Almost 1,600 Canadians were formally registered in Sudan as of Saturday, but experts believe the number of Canadians in the country is likely much higher.

Canada suspended consular services in the East African country Sunday, saying Canadian diplomats would “temporarily work from a safe location outside the country” while still trying to help citizens in Sudan.

While Ottawa has not explained how its diplomats left Sudan, the New York Times reported Sunday that U.S. special forces evacuated six Canadian diplomats, along with 70 American diplomats and some from other countries.

The BBC, meanwhile, reported Canadians were among a group evacuated by sea to Saudi Arabia.

Global Affairs Canada has yet to answer questions sent Sunday morning about those reports.

Ottawa is not evacuating its locally hired Sudanese staff, and says it is looking at all possible options to support them.

As of August 2022, the Khartoum embassy had six Canadian staff and 12 who were locally hired, according to data filed by the department with a Senate committee.