UAE: Child with bullet injuries among evacuees from Sudan

An evacuation plane carrying 178 people of seven nationalities from Sudan landed in the UAE on Sunday.

The aircraft transported the most vulnerable groups of the elderly, the sick, children and women, as the Emirates has given them the highest priority in its evacuation operations from Sudan, which has been reeling from an intense conflict between warring parties since April 15.

So far, over 500 people have been killed in the deadly violence, with thousands of others injured. Only a handful of hospitals in the capital, Khartoum – which is experiencing the brunt of the clashes – are operating fully.

Meanwhile, scores of people are still trapped in their houses with depleting supplies of food and medicines, while tens of thousands of others have fled to neighbouring Chad and South Sudan. Some experts have raised concerns over the conflict continuing for several more days.

Among the evacuees on the UAE plane was a Sudanese child with bullet injuries, who was transferred to Sheikh Khalifa Medical City in Abu Dhabi.

The Emirates is pursuing a neutral role in the Sudan crisis. It has already sent tonnes of relief supplies to the conflict-stricken country since mid-April, while repeatedly stressing the importance of intensifying efforts aimed at a ceasefire and a return to negotiations.

The UAE and the World Health Organisation (WHO) delivered 30 tonnes of essential drugs and supplies for emergency surgeries and injury treatment to Sudan on Friday.

The delivery underscored the Emirates’ strong relations with Sudan and its commitment to assisting others during times of crisis. Valued at $444,000, the shipment is the first the WHO has been able to deliver by air to Sudan since April 15.