On Sunday, the Somali government brought back 137 of it’s citizens who were trapped in Sudan due to the recent clashes, bringing the total number of evacuees to 379.
The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Hamza Adan Hadow, personally welcomed the returnees at the Aden Abdulle International Airport in Mogadishu.
This was the fifth flight from Sudan since the evacuation process started, and it was expedited in less than a week after the outbreak of violence.
The Ministry has reiterated its commitment to the safety and security of its citizens and thanked its international partners and Somali diplomats in Sudan and Ethiopia for their assistance.
Meanwhile, in Saudi Arabia, warring parties in Sudan have met for direct talks as mediators push to end a conflict that has killed hundreds and forced tens of thousands to flee.
The U.S.-Saudi initiative is the first serious attempt to end fighting between the army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) that has turned parts of the Sudanese capital into war zones, derailed an internationally backed plan to usher in civilian rule following years of unrest and created a humanitarian crisis.
“Pre-negotiation” talks began on Saturday and “will continue in the coming days in the expectation of reaching an effective short-term ceasefire to facilitate humanitarian assistance,” the Saudi Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
Saudi Arabia will allocate $100 million in humanitarian aid to Sudan, Saudi state-run Al Ekhbariya television said earlier on Sunday.
Since mid-April, fighting has resulted in hundreds of fatalities, tens of thousands of injuries, a breakdown in aid deliveries, and the emigration of 100,000 refugees.
