All Cypriots evacuated from Sudan
The last Cypriot citizen evacuee from Sudan arrived on night flight to Larnaca, the foreign ministry spokesman Theodoros Gotsis said on Thursday, as flights were set to continue throughout the day with more evacuees from other countries.
Speaking to CNA, he added that another seven people of Cypriot origin are travelling by car to Egypt, who are also expected to come to Cyprus.
Gotsis said that they are in communication with these people, while also the honorary Cypriot consul and his family are expected to also arrive – who have permanent resident status in Cyprus.
Gotsis also said that it is important to continue the flow of the operation to remove citizens from Sudan.
Asked how many flights are expected on Thursday, he added that the situation on the ground in Sudan is volatile and changing.
Gotsis added that people must get to the military airport, which is about 30 kilometres north of Khartoum, to be able to leave the country by air.
Commenting on the operation, he said that it is not only British citizens who are arriving on the flights but also citizens of other countries such as Americans, Canadians, Australians, and others.
The US Ambassador to Cyprus, Julie Fisher, expressed her country’s gratitude to the Republic of Cyprus and the United Kingdom for their “extraordinary efforts” to help remove people, including Americans, from Sudan.
In a post on Twitter, Fisher said “we are deeply grateful” to their partners, Cyprus, and the UK, “for their outstanding efforts to help remove people, including Americans, from Sudan.”
Last night, six more flights with evacuees from Sudan were due to land in Larnaca as the island continued to be used as a hub to get European nationals out of the troubled African nation.
On Wednesday evening, Foreign Minister Constantinos Kombos announced that five flights had landed in Cyprus, transporting 391 evacuees, while the sixth landed later in the night.
Two flights transporting 281 people departed for the UK in the afternoon, with two more scheduled before the end of the day to transport the majority of those who arrived earlier in the day.