(Anadolu photo)
MANILA – The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Wednesday night raised alert level 3 in Sudan amid an ongoing political crisis worsened by clashes between two warring factions that broke out in the country last April 15.
“The public is informed that Alert Level 3 (Voluntary Repatriation/Evacuation) has been raised for the whole of the Sudan region due to the ongoing political situation in the country,” it said in an advisory.
Alert levels reflect how the DFA evaluates the threats that travelers may face in a certain destination.
The DFA said such advisories “shed light on the risks that travelers may potentially encounter at their country of destination”.
The DFA has four alert levels -- Alert Level 1 or the precautionary phase, Alert Level 2 or restriction phase, Alert Level 3 or voluntary repatriation phase, and Alert Level 4 for mandatory evacuation/repatriation.
Alert Level 3 is issued when “violent disturbances or external aggression occur in a limited area”.
The crisis, which began with armed clashes between the Sudanese Armed Forces and Rapid Support Forces, has sent foreign governments scrambling to extract their nationals out of Sudan during a 72-hour ceasefire.
As of this posting, the DFA and the Philippine Embassy in Egypt are working to bring out 300 more Filipinos from Khartoum to Egypt.
The United Nations said the fighting has since created a “humanitarian catastrophe” with civilians bearing the brunt.
On April 26, Head of the UN Integrated Transition Assistance Mission in Sudan Volker Perthes said at least 450 have so far been killed and over 3,700 were injured, with the figures expected to increase. (PNA)
