All Italians who wanted to leave
Sudan have been evacuated and will arrive in Italy late Monday
afternoon, Foreign Minister and Deputy Premier Antonio Tajani
said on Monday.
"All the Italians who wanted to leave Sudan have done so," said
Tajani, arriving at a meeting of EU foreign affairs ministers in
Luxembourg.
"They have been transferred to Djibouti and will return to Italy
on an Air Force flight (arriving at) around 6:30-7 p.m. at
Ciampino airport," continued the minister, adding that "they are
all well".
Tajani said that a few emergency volunteers and some
missionaries" have remained Sudan, where nine days of fighting
between the regular army and paramilitary forces have left
hundreds of people dead and thousands injured.
"I want to thank those who took part in this difficult
operation," concluded the minister.
Late Sunday evening the foreign affairs ministry said in a
statement the "first phase" of the evacuation from Sudan had
been carried out with the transfer of 105 Italians and 31
foreigners, including Portuguese, Australian, Greek, British,
and Swedish nationals, on board an Italian Air Force C130 and a
Spanish Air Force AM400 to Djibouti.
"After a day of trepidatious waiting, all our compatriots in
Sudan who asked to leave have been evacuated. There are also
foreign nationals with them. Italy leaves no one behind," said
Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on Sunday night.
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