According to Defense Minister Anita Anand, Canada has halted its effort to evacuate people from the Wadi Seidna airport near Khartoum in Sudan because of the dangerous and unpredictable circumstances on the ground.
“Because of the dangerous conditions, and in concert with decisions made by our allies, no further Canadian flights are planned from the Wadi Seidna airfield,” Anand stated at a news conference.
Sudan’s two armed groups accused each other of fresh violations of a ceasefire that is set to expire on Sunday as their deadly conflict reached its third week amid threats of a devastating civil catastrophe.
Anand estimates that 230 Canadians affected by the Sudan situation are still there and seeking assistance from Global Affairs Canada.
Global Affairs Canada manages Canada’s diplomatic and consular affairs.
Canada began removing its people from Sudan on Thursday.
Since then, over 550 individuals have been carried in six flights, including two on Saturday, and Anand believes that 400 Canadians and permanent residents have been evacuated across a number of aircraft.
According to Anand, the government is working with its allies to investigate alternative evacuation routes, one of which is through Port Sudan.
On Sunday, the British government confirmed that an extra evacuation aircraft would depart from Port Sudan in eastern Sudan on Monday.
