Uganda to evacuate 300 nationals from Sudan by bus

Uganda will evacuate 300 of its stranded nationals in Sudan by bus via Ethiopia, the Ugandan embassy in Khartoum, capital of Sudan, confirmed in a statement on Sunday.

"We have hired six buses to evacuate all 300 Ugandans at once including diplomats, students and workers," said Yahaya Ssemudu, Uganda's ambassador in Sudan.

The group, he noted, would be moved through Ethiopia to avoid potential danger and the evacuation would launch immediately.

It is in Ethiopia, according to Ssemudu, where alternative safer means of exit will be found, including flying them to Uganda.

Since the outbreak of fighting, Uganda has tried to rescue its citizens who have cried out for help.

The decision to use buses, Ssemudu said, is informed by the fact no embassy has gotten permission to use air transport because the airspace is still closed to passenger planes.

"Anytime the airspace is opened, our government is ready to send in planes to evacuate our people should we get clearance," he said.

He confirmed that they have not been made aware of any case of a Ugandan killed or injured in the fighting so far.

According to the World Health Organization, by Sunday 413 people had been killed and 3,551 injured as fighting between the armed forces loyal to the country's de facto ruler Gen Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and those allied to Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo of the Rapid Support Forces.

The fighting has continued to spread fear in the hearts of both locals and foreigners trapped in the conflict. A Ugandan staying near the Presidential palace who preferred to remain anonymous said they were still hearing heavy gunshots into Sunday night as ceasefire efforts at the end of Ramadan failed to hold.

The Ugandan, who is a teacher at an international school in Khartoum, said two buildings next to her school were bombed on Thursday.

In an extraordinary meeting last week, Intergovernmental Authority on Development leaders expressed deep concerns and called for the immediate cessation of hostilities between the warring factions.

President Museveni condemned the misuse of force in a situation that undermines all progress made through dialogue over the last several months.

"We cannot keep papering over mistakes of unprincipled politics year after year," he said. "An unconditional and immediate cessation of hostilities to stop the tragedy and mockery of Africa is of utmost importance."