Heavy fighting between the army and paramilitaries has been going on for more than a week, which has now cost the lives of more than 300 people.
The number of Dutch people in Sudan may be higher than the currently known 87. “Not everyone registers,” says Hoekstra in a conversation with political journalist Sophie van Leeuwen. “Unfortunately, the situation is literally life-threatening for everyone. If you leave the house, bullets will fly around you.” The minister invites everyone to report to the embassy.
Very dangerous
The question is whether everyone can be evacuated, Hoekstra says. “The situation is now so dangerous that no one, not even one of our allies, has succeeded.” For example, a previous evacuation attempt by Germany failed. ‘We are in close contact with Germany, France and other countries. Also to see how we can do things together. But at the moment it is absolutely impossible to land planes there.”
“The situation is dangerous, if you leave the house the bullets will fly around you”
Earlier this week, the minister had contact with the Dutch embassy in the capital, Khartoum. Everyone is advised to stay at home. Make sure you have enough food at home and use it sparingly. We are trying to aim for a ceasefire, but that will go nowhere.’
afghanistan
Hoekstra doesn’t want to compare it to the mass evacuation from Kabul nearly two years ago. “It was a completely different situation,” he says. ‘Western diplomats were seen as enemies then. This is not the case now, foreigners are now not seen as part of the warring parties. But that doesn’t put you in safe waters.’