Malaysia requests to land in Sudan to repatriate stranded citizens - Zambry

SHAH ALAM - Malaysia has contacted the highest administration of Sudan to request permission to land in the country and bring back Malaysians who are strandered there.

Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir said that Malaysia is also considering several other options, including relocating Malaysians in Sudan.

"We are using the diplomatic channels of various countries to deal with this issue together. Efforts to negotiate with the warring parties to make way for evacuation efforts continue.

"Since this morning, the Sudan Ops team and I have been following in detail every step taken," he said when contacted by Sinar Harian today.

He said this following international media reports on the extension of the closure of the country's airspace until April 30, as announced by the Sudanese Civil Aviation Authority.

Zambry also informed me that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and Wisma Putra are now trying to contact other stakeholders in Sudan to find a way to get Malaysians out of the war zone.

Previously, the media reported that a total of 32 Malaysians in seven different locations were still stranded in the country but in a safe condition.

The conflict in Sudan began on April 15 as a result of fighting involving the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Force (RSF) with the death toll now reaching 413 people while 3,551 others were injured, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

Meanwhile, the United Nations (UN) children's agency stated that at least nine children were killed and more than 50 others were seriously injured.