Hungarian special forces evacuated Americans from war-torn state! – UPDATED

Hungarian military Sudan
Photo: facebook.com/orbanviktor

A group of holiday-makers, 14 Hungarians and 48 people of other nationalities (mostly Italians and Americans), have been evacuated from the coast of Sudan amid the civil war there, Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó said on Saturday.

Joint operation of the diplomacy and the special forces in Sudan

The foreign ministry contacted the crew of the ship which had taken the group on a diving cruise, as well as the holiday organisers, and the ship sailed to Egypt rather than returning to Sudan, the ministry said in a statement. Officials of the Hungarian embassy in Cairo met the rescued group after the ship reached harbour, the statement said, adding that the Hungarians are expected to fly back to Budapest on Sunday. The ministry also quoted Szijjártó as saying that Hungarian diplomats are in communication with eight other Hungarians in Sudan, and they are making preparations to evacuate them as soon as “conditions are safe”.

Szijjártó added, however, that “[Sudan’s] airports are incapacitated for the moment, rendering attempts to evacuate people impossible.” The foreign ministry is in contact with other countries whose citizens were stranded in Sudan, he said, and “once one of those countries can start evacuation, people of other nationalities, too, can rely on their help.” The foreign ministry is monitoring developments and will do everything to ensure the security of Hungarians at risk, Szijjártó added.

Security of Hungarians is paramount

Defence Minister Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky said in a video published on Facebook that the evacuation had been “managed by the foreign ministry involving the Counter-Terrorism Centre and using capacities of the Hungarian military”. He said his ministry was monitoring developments in Sudan, adding that “the security of Hungarians is paramount, wherever they happen to be in the world.” Similarly to Hungary, several countries have started evacuating their citizens from Sudan, where clashes between the national army and paramilitary organisations started a week ago, Szalay-Bobrovniczky said.

UPDATE (04.23. 10.26 GMT)

Hungary’s foreign minister, Péter Szijjártó, announced that additional Hungarians established contact with the Hungarian diplomatic staff from Sudan. Thus, the number of Hungarians stuck in the war-torn country increased to 15. Szijjártó said multiple evacuation missions are under organization, and they are in a permanent contact with the UN to rescue all Hungarians as soon as possible.

UPDATE (4.23. 20.05 GMT)

The situation in Sudan continues to be “extremely fragile and dangerous”, Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó said late on Saturday, adding that the number of Hungarians reported to be still in the civil-war-stricken country had increased to 15. Szijjártó said on Facebook that efforts are under way to evacuate them, adding he hoped operations may soon be carried out. “We are in contact with countries in the region and with the United Nations to make sure that all Hungarians are rescued and taken to a safe environment as soon as possible,” he said. Earlier on Saturday, a group of holidaymakers, 14 Hungarians and 48 people of other nationalities, were rescued from Sudan’s coastal area and travelled by boat to Egypt.

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