Khartoum: Switzerland has shut down the operation of the country’s embassy in Khartoum due to security reasons and ongoing armed clashes in Sudan, the Swiss Foreign Ministry said, adding that the diplomatic staff had been evacuated to Ethiopia and Djibouti.
“For security reasons, we are closing our embassy in Khartoum. Our staff and their families have been evacuated & are safe. This was made possible thanks to a collaboration with our partners, in particular France. Thanks for their support,” the Swiss Foreign Ministry tweeted.
The embassy has been closed since April 23, the ministry specified, adding that two diplomatic workers were on their way to Ethiopia, and the rest had been evacuated to Djibouti.
A number of countries have been evacuating their nationals and diplomats from Sudan in cooperation with other African and Middle Eastern countries for land and air transit due to the tense security situation in the country.
On April 15, violent clashes broke out between the Sudanese regular armed forces and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) paramilitary group, with the epicenter located in Khartoum. Government forces accused the RSF of mutiny and launched airstrikes against their bases. Abdel Fattah Burhan, the head of the Sudanese military, issued a decree disbanding the RSF. The sides agreed to a three-day truce starting Friday in connection with the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Fitr.
So far, around 600 people have died in the clashes, the Sudanese Health Ministry said on Friday. Meanwhile, the World Health Organization reported that over 3,500 people had been injured.
