The last Cypriot citizen airlifted from war-torn Sudan has arrived in Cyprus on an RAF flight carrying rescued Britons.
Another seven Cypriots are currently making their way to Egypt by land, according to the Foreign Ministry.
In comments to the Cyprus News Agency, the ministry’s spokesperson Theodoros Gotsis, said the last Cypriot to be flown out of war-torn Sudan arrived just after midnight Wednesday.
Cyprus’ Honorary Consul to Sudan will also be airlifted, along with two family members.
Gotsis said Cyprus’ contribution as a transit hub for evacuated foreign nationals has proved vital.
Asked how many flights were expected on Thursday, Gotsis noted that the situation on the ground in Sudan is volatile and changing.
He said people have to get to the military airport, about 30 kilometres north of Khartoum, to be able to leave the country.
Cyprus is facilitating the reception of evacuated foreign nationals and their repatriation, catering to Americans, British, Canadians and other nationals.
The US Ambassador, Julie Fisher, expressed her country’s gratitude to the Republic of Cyprus and the United Kingdom for their “extraordinary efforts” to help remove people, including Americans, from Sudan.
Fisher Tweeted: “We are deeply grateful to our Cyprus and UK partners for their exceptional efforts helping evacuate individuals, including Americans, from Sudan.
“Our partnership with the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre, the Defence Ministry, the Foreign Ministry and the British High Commission in action in support of our citizens”.
On Wednesday, Foreign Minister Constantinos Kombos announced that five flights had landed in Cyprus, transporting 391 evacuees.
Another two flights carrying 281 British citizens left for the UK on Wednesday.
Following a UK request, the humanitarian rescue mechanism ESTIA was activated to evacuate third-country civilians through the island from Sudan.
RAF planes pick up British passport holders from the airstrip and fly them to Larnaca Airport, where their documentation is checked.
The RAF plane then refuels before returning to Sudan to pick up the next batch waiting at the airstrip.
Clashes between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) paramilitary group began on 15 April.
Hundreds of people have since died, and thousands have been injured in the conflict.
Airlifting large numbers of people out of Sudan has been complicated by major airports becoming battlegrounds, and movement out of the capital has been perilous.
