Government, air force transport plane dispatched to Cheonghae Unit… The 707th Special Forces first overseas evacuation operation
1200km distance to the neighboring country Djibouti, undecided on how to get there… Discussion of ‘rescue of the seaway’
U.S. and Saudi Arabia succeed in evacuation of their citizens
As the bloody clashes between government forces and paramilitary organizations continue for the ninth day in Sudan, North Africa, and the threat to the safety of local residents and diplomats grows, countries around the world, including Korea, are in full swing with the ‘Great Escape’ operation. The South Korean government dispatched an Air Force transport plane carrying troops from the Army Special Warfare Command to the area and the Cheonghae Unit in the Gulf of Aden, Somalia, and began an evacuation operation for 28 Koreans. The United States, Saudi Arabia, and France have already completed or are attempting to evacuate their citizens.
On the 23rd (local time), 28 Koreans living in Sudan first gathered at the Korean embassy in Khartoum, the capital. Namgoong-hwan, Ambassador to Sudan, said in a phone call with the Dong-A Ilbo that day, “One Sudanese national has expressed his intention not to board a military transport plane and did not come to the embassy, and there are only 28 people present. All 28 are safe.”
After that, the route will be completely private. A government official said, “For the safety of our people, details cannot be disclosed. All Koreans are safely gathered.” The government plans to move all Koreans to a safe zone after securing a possible route.
A South Korean Air Force C-130J transport aircraft is waiting after arriving at the U.S. military base in Djibouti, a country near Sudan, on the 22nd. About 50 people, including 707 counter-terrorism special task force of the Army Special Warfare Command, Air Force Process Controller (CCT), pilots and mechanics, were on board. They are staying in Djibouti and awaiting instructions from the government. This is the first time that the 707 Special Forces, a key unit for counter-terrorism at the national strategic level, is carrying out an overseas evacuation operation.
The US military base is about 1200 km away from Khartoum in a straight line. It is known that it has not yet been decided how to move the Koreans waiting somewhere from Sudan to Djibouti.
A government source said, “We are looking into all the land and air routes that Koreans can safely reach Djibouti. said.
The government moved the Cheonghae Unit, a South Korean military dispatched unit operating in the Gulf of Aden, to the waters near Sudan in preparation for a situation where Koreans cannot board transport planes. It was in accordance with the instructions of President Yoon Seok-yeol on the 22nd. If rescue by means of transport is not feasible, it is reported that a ‘waterway rescue’ using the Chungmugong Yi Sun-sin ship of the Cheonghae Unit is also being discussed.
Governments around the world also quickly launched emergency operations to evacuate their citizens. US President Joe Biden said in a statement on the 23rd, “The US military operation to withdraw US diplomats, their families, and Koreans from Khartoum was carried out today. I am grateful to our Soldiers for their hard work in bringing them to safety.” According to foreign media, about 70 Americans escaped Sudan through this operation.
President Biden said, “The US embassy in Sudan will be temporarily closed, but the people of Sudan and our commitment to what they want will not end.” He called for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire, saying, “The conflict that has already claimed the lives of hundreds of innocent civilians must stop.”
The Saudi government also announced that 157 nationals from 12 countries, including Kuwait and Qatar, including 91 of its own nationals who were in Sudan, had fled Sudan and arrived in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. They escaped Sudan by boat using Port Sudan, a port city on the Red Sea coast about 840 km northeast of Khartoum.
Jordan, France and the Netherlands are also known to be conducting emergency operations to evacuate their nationals from Sudan. According to Kyodo News, Japan, which dispatched a transport plane to the U.S. military base in Djibouti around the same time as Korea, is also closely monitoring the situation and preparing to escape.
Cairo =
Source: Donga
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.