Sheikh Abdullah thanks Saudi rulers for helping UAE citizens and others escape Khartoum

Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation, has told Saudi officials that the role the kingdom has played in the evacuation of people caught up in the violence in Sudan has been appreciated.

Sheikh Abdullah spoke to his Saudi counterpart, Prince Faisal bin Farhan, on the phone on Monday.

The kingdom had made outstanding efforts in co-operation with other nations in the evacuation efforts, according to Wam.

On Saturday, the Saudi Press Agency reported that 91 citizens from Saudi Arabia and 66 from other countries such as the UAE, Qatar, Canada, Philippines and India, including diplomats and international officials, were assisted in leaving Sudan by Royal Saudi Naval Forces with support from other branches of the military.

Saudi Arabia is now helping the evacuated foreign citizens to return home.

On Monday, China's foreign ministry said it had sent a task force to evacuate Chinese citizens from Sudan and that a group had been safely evacuated to a neighbouring country.

A group of 15 Danish citizens were evacuated in a French-led rescue operation, while another six citizens rejected an offer to be evacuated.

Other countries including Germany, Spain and Jordan have rushed to extract their citizens amid the deadly power struggle between the army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces.

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