German Military Plane with 101 Evacuees from Sudan Lands in Berlin

24 April 2023, Berlin: An Air Force Airbus lands at Berlin Brandenburg Airport with German citizens evacuated from Sudan. (dpa)
24 April 2023, Berlin: An Air Force Airbus lands at Berlin Brandenburg Airport with German citizens evacuated from Sudan. (dpa)
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German Military Plane with 101 Evacuees from Sudan Lands in Berlin

24 April 2023, Berlin: An Air Force Airbus lands at Berlin Brandenburg Airport with German citizens evacuated from Sudan. (dpa)
24 April 2023, Berlin: An Air Force Airbus lands at Berlin Brandenburg Airport with German citizens evacuated from Sudan. (dpa)

A German air force plane with 101 people evacuated from Sudan landed in Berlin early on Monday, as countries rushed to get their citizens out of Khartoum while a shaky ceasefire held in the Sudanese capital.

Sudan's sudden slide into conflict between the army and Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has stranded thousands of foreigners, including diplomats and aid workers.

The Luftwaffe has flown out 311 people so far from an airfield near Khartoum, the German military said, and the first batch was brought back to Berlin on Monday aboard an Airbus A321 from the Al Azrak base in Jordan, which is being used as a hub for the evacuation operation.

The German military did not provide a break-down of how many of those evacuated were German citizens or nationals from other countries.

The fighting in Sudan has triggered a humanitarian crisis in the impoverished country, where millions of people have been left without access to basic services.

At least 420 people have been killed since the fighting broke out on April 15, four years after long-ruling President Omar al-Bashir was toppled.

The army and RSF jointly staged a coup in 2021 but fell out during negotiations to integrate the two groups and form a civilian government, and their rivalry has raised the risk of a wider conflict that could draw in outside powers.



Israel Says Wants to End Hostilities Without 'Wider War' But Ready 'For Any Scenario'

Damaged vehicles are seen after an Israeli strike on Beirut's southern suburbs, Lebanon July 30, 2024 in this screen grab from a video. Reuters TV via REUTERS Purchase Licensing Rights
Damaged vehicles are seen after an Israeli strike on Beirut's southern suburbs, Lebanon July 30, 2024 in this screen grab from a video. Reuters TV via REUTERS Purchase Licensing Rights
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Israel Says Wants to End Hostilities Without 'Wider War' But Ready 'For Any Scenario'

Damaged vehicles are seen after an Israeli strike on Beirut's southern suburbs, Lebanon July 30, 2024 in this screen grab from a video. Reuters TV via REUTERS Purchase Licensing Rights
Damaged vehicles are seen after an Israeli strike on Beirut's southern suburbs, Lebanon July 30, 2024 in this screen grab from a video. Reuters TV via REUTERS Purchase Licensing Rights

The Israeli military said late Tuesday that it wanted to avoid any wider war with Hezbollah but that its forces were ready for "any scenario".

"Hezbollah's ongoing aggression and brutal attacks are dragging the people of Lebanon and the entire Middle East into a wider escalation," military spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said in a statement.

"While we prefer to resolve hostilities without a wider war," the army is "fully prepared for any scenario," he said.

In this regard, UN's special coordinator for Lebanon on Tuesday voiced concern after the Israeli strike.

"UN Special Coordinator Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert is deeply concerned by tonight's strike," the envoy's office said in a statement, adding that she "underscores once again that there is no such thing as a military solution" to the ongoing conflict.