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Sudan 2023 Thread- Discussion on Our Evacuation Capabilities

Ottawa deploys rapid deployment team to Djibouti to provide emergency response
The Canadian Press · Posted: Apr 21, 2023 11:10 PM EDT | Last Updated: April 21

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Minister of Foreign Affairs Mélanie Joly, pictured in Ottawa last month, says the Canadian Embassy in Sudan's capital, Khartoum, has temporarily suspended in-person operations due to security concerns. (Justin Tang/The Canadian Press)

The federal government says it has deployed members of its Global Affairs Standing Rapid Deployment Team to Djibouti due to the volatile and rapidly deteriorating situation in Sudan.

Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly said the Canadian Embassy in Sudan's capital, Khartoum, has temporarily suspended in-person operations.

The Rapid Deployment Team can provide emergency response, co-ordination, consular assistance and logistical support, she said.

The federal government says the Department of National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces are also planning for contingencies but gave no further details.

Roughly 1,500 Canadians registered in Sudan
On Thursday, Joly said Canada has no means of evacuating citizens from Sudan, where violence has drastically escalated between the country's army and its rival paramilitary force.

Global Affairs Canada has said it knows of roughly 1,500 Canadians registered as being in the northeast African country.

"The situation in Sudan is volatile and deteriorating rapidly," Joly said in a news release on Friday. "Canada continues to call for an end to violence and stands with the Sudanese people as they strive for peace.

"We are actively monitoring the situation in Sudan and working with neighbouring countries, as well as with like-minded governments and the international community to co-ordinate the response to this crisis."

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Smoke fills the sky in Khartoum on Friday. Joly said Canada has no means of evacuating citizens from Sudan, where violence has drastically escalated between the country's army and its rival paramilitary force. (Maheen S./The Associated Press)

Joly said consular services remain available to Canadians in Sudan, but due to the security situation, these could be limited.

Officials in Ottawa are in regular contact with Canadians there, providing them with information and advice as the situation develops, she said.

The United States and other countries anticipate the violence to escalate and have been preparing to evacuate their citizens in Sudan.

Some of the heaviest fighting has been over airports.

The Pentagon has moved a small number of troops to a base in Djibouti to support an evacuation.

Gen. Mark Milley, chair of the U.S. joint chiefs of staff, discussed the situation with defence officials from Germany, Italy and Canada at a gathering in Germany on Friday, a U.S. official said.

One topic was ensuring that any potential evacuation efforts did not conflict. The official spoke on condition of anonymity to describe the deliberations.

 
We only lack evacuation options if the airport isn't accepting planes for landing...

Otherwise I'm pretty sure we have an NEO company on 24hr standby in the high readiness unit (whoever that happens to be this year)


Charter some planes, or tell JT to stop flying around the planet for a frigging week, and possibly send a Polaris or 2. Evacuate them the same way we evacuate our citizens any other time things get dicey somewhere 🤷‍♂️
 
We only lack evacuation options if the airport isn't accepting planes for landing...

Otherwise I'm pretty sure we have an NEO company on 24hr standby in the high readiness unit (whoever that happens to be this year)


Charter some planes, or tell JT to stop flying around the planet for a frigging week, and possibly send a Polaris or 2. Evacuate them the same way we evacuate our citizens any other time things get dicey somewhere 🤷‍♂️
Much higher risk in this case given the active fighting within the city and the significant destruction in the airport itself.

A company of light infantry, unsupported by significant capacity in fires and mobility, is in for a really bad time if they go there and find a fight.

In the news this morning, USN is moving ships offshore of Port Sudan. Sounds like the US intends to create an evacuation bubble there, and to try to support and facilitate safe travels out of Khartoum. This is probably much more prudent than thinking they can force their way into Khartoum and scoop thousands of scattered citizens.

Any western citizens there have chosen, for quite some time now, to avoid all travel. That choice comes with risks, and one of those risks is that the country may not choose to put a bunch of troops at great risk to pull you out of your own stupidity.

I hope we’re able to find a safe solution for GoC employees who were sent there in the course of their duties. Anyone got a sense of how many GoC staff our embassy there has?
 
Officials in Ottawa are in regular contact with Canadians there, providing them with information and advice as the situation develops, she said.

"Providing them with information and advice"
Well, I guess this is advice.


A Canadian trapped in the middle of an escalating war in Sudan blamed his home government on Saturday for his harrowing three-day journey out of the war-torn country, saying Ottawa has failed to provide stranded residents with a clear evacuation plan.

Mohamed said he signed up with the Global Affairs registry of Canadian citizens the same day the fighting started one week ago, but didn't hear anything further. After calling Global Affairs Canada daily for three or four days, he was only advised to seek shelter.

"After the fourth call with them, I decided they're not gonna do anything," Mohamed said in a telephone interview from the border between Sudan and Egypt. "That's when I made my decision to make a move and try to get out of Khartoum and eventually out of Sudan."



After Global Affairs successful and award winning evacuation of Afghanistan you can't blame this guy for expecting more help.
 
"Providing them with information and advice"
Well, I guess this is advice.








After Global Affairs successful and award winning evacuation of Afghanistan you can't blame this guy for expecting more help.

Yeah, and why didn't Mohamed follow Global Affairs advice to get the hell out over a year ago when the government identified that the ongoing massive risks had spread into Khartoum?
 
Yeah, and why didn't Mohamed follow Global Affairs advice to get the hell out over a year ago when the government identified that the ongoing massive risks had spread into Khartoum?
I remember Canadians being warned about leaving Sudan back in 2019 when there was a coup. This might be a new one though?

After what happened in Afghanistan in 2021 you would think people would be a little more cautious about this.
 
I remember Canadians being warned about leaving Sudan back in 2019 when there was a coup. This might be a new one though?

After what happened in Afghanistan in 2021 you would think people would be a little more cautious about this.
I got curious and checked the GAC travel advisories going back some years. Sudan generally has been 'avoid non-essential travel' for years, and Khartoum 'avoid all travel' for at least a year.
 
How many of these people in Sudan are Canadians who live in Canada but are there temporarily i.e work or other.
How many of these people trapped in Sudan live there but have Canadian citizenship. Shouldn't be Canadas responsibility to evacuate 'convenient Canadians' last minute when they were warned years ago and had ample time to leave. Stupid choices have consequences.
 
How many of these people in Sudan are Canadians who live in Canada but are there temporarily i.e work or other.
How many of these people trapped in Sudan live there but have Canadian citizenship. Shouldn't be Canadas responsibility to evacuate 'convenient Canadians' last minute when they were warned years ago and had ample time to leave. Stupid choices have consequences.
I feel like we keep finding ourselves saying this very thing every few years when things get testy somewhere.

Whether it’s Syria, Libya, Sudan, etc etc - we are always wondering…

a) How many of our citizens are there for legitimate work with either the government or an NGO?

b) How many are just there, for no real good reason? (Living there or just going back for extended visits.)


The Canadians that are there for legitimate work with our government or an NGO, there should be a ‘general plan’ in place that everybody understands. The NEO unit or CANSOF team that goes and handles it should also have an easy to access brief that would say ‘NEO for Sudan. Location of embassy. Reasonable estimate on number of government or NGO staff to be evacuated. And what resources will be used in the event an evacuation is required.’

If you’re there on your own, try to stay advised on the situation on the ground & any directions from our government. Just knowing whether they should head to the airport or the seaport would be a huge saver of time…

But like others have said, I don’t feel like we have an urgent obligation to evacuate ‘Canadians of Convenience’ from places they probably shouldn’t be in the first place…

Because, I’m sorry, but violence is nothing new to Sudan. You knew it was unsafe when you got yourself there - if you’re not there for legitimate work reasons, I don’t know why it falls on us to constantly have to come save them
 
“Canada is Back.”

Trudeau made an election promise to get back to peacekeeping. And another one in 2017 to the UN for a 200-strong quick reaction force. This might be a chance to give Canadians what they voted for.
Trudeau let his mouth write a cheque his Defence Minister knew or ought to have known, we couldn't cash. This has been a Canadian tradition since Sir Isaac Brock called up the militias in 1812.

The problem has always been that no one in government cares to know what our capabilities or limitations are. They want to think we have a ready force like the Marines on standby, but don't want to feed the beast with funding, planning, strategy, or anything else that requires effort.

The CAF is an old, neglected German Shepherd in the yard that the homeowner hopes will protect them in the case of a burglary.
 
I feel like we keep finding ourselves saying this very thing every few years when things get testy somewhere.

Whether it’s Syria, Libya, Sudan, etc etc - we are always wondering…

a) How many of our citizens are there for legitimate work with either the government or an NGO?

b) How many are just there, for no real good reason? (Living there or just going back for extended visits.)
With regard to Sudan, it doesn’t appear that there is a very sizeable population of dual nationals. Instead, most Canadians in that country appear to working in either the mining sector or the oil industry. This is ‘legitimate work’ — but it isn’t with the government or an NGO. And in a war zone, there’s a fine line between free industry simply doing its thing and war profiteering.

Personally, I think responsibility for safety of the workers is more on the employer than on the Canadian taxpayer. If you want to go dig for gold in a warzone, good for you, but don’t expect a NEO company on call to extract you when things go pear shaped.
 
Latest reporting from the Canadian Press:

Canada suspends Sudan consular services as diplomats evacuated​

By The Canadian PressThe Canadian Press — Apr 23 2023

OTTAWA — Canada suspended consular services in Sudan on Sunday amid reports of allied countries evacuating Canadian diplomats and as armed conflict escalated in the East-African country.

Global Affairs Canada said Canadian diplomats would "temporarily work from a safe location outside the country" while still trying to help citizens in Sudan.

The Associated Press reported more than 420 people, including 264 civilians, have been killed and over 3,700 wounded in the fighting between the Sudanese armed forces and the powerful paramilitary group known as the Rapid Support Forces, or RSF.

Those deaths occurred in just nine days after power-sharing negotiations between the two groups deteriorated.

Global Affairs said there were 1,596 Canadian citizens formally registered as being in Sudan as of Saturday.

But Nicholas Coghlan, Canada's former top envoy to Sudan, said in a Sunday interview that the number is likely "considerably higher," with many being dual nationals.

He said many Canadians abroad see registering as a needless hassle, while others believe their information will be shared with other branches of government such as the Canada Revenue Agency, despite laws preventing such data transfers.

Coghlan was also Canada's first ambassador to South Sudan when it separated from that country in 2011, and he oversaw an evacuation of citizens after a civil war broke out in 2013.

At that time, less than 20 Canadian citizens were registered in South Sudan, but roughly 140 ended up being evacuated in less than a week.

Canada first evacuated those easily reachable in the capital of Juba who wanted to leave, and then worked to identify others and get them onto roughly weekly flights operated by one of Canada's allies.

The ongoing situation in Sudan is likely different, Coghlan said, because the clashing forces are deliberately targeting airports as strategic locations in a turf war.

The Associated Press reports that fighting at the country's main international airport in the capital city of Khartoum has destroyed civilian planes and damaged at least one runway.

Canada's embassy sits near that airport, making it one of the most dangerous areas in the country, Coghlan said.

The New York Times reported Sunday that U.S. special forces evacuated six Canadian diplomats, along with 70 American diplomats and some from other countries.

The BBC, meanwhile, reported Canadians were among a group evacuated by sea to Saudi Arabia. Global Affairs did not immediately confirm those reports.

Overland travel through contested areas has proven dangerous. Khartoum is about 840 kilometres from Port Sudan on the Red Sea. Both the country's militias have accused each other of obstructing evacuations.

Coghlan said Sunday's announced suspension of consular services means Canadian citizens who need emergency passports to leave Sudan likely have no chance of getting them, because Ottawa deemed it too risky to keep a scaled-down operation running in the country.

He said many dual nationals likely have expired passports or insufficient paperwork to get on a flight.

Some registered Canadians likely work for the United Nations or aid organizations, who can help extract them, but many will be private citizens with family ties to Sudan who will be left to their own devices.

Reports from Sudan's Arqin border crossing with Egypt suggest 30 packed coaches were trying to reach safety.

Sudan experienced a “near-total collapse” of countrywide internet and phone connections Sunday, according to the monitoring service NetBlocks.

Coghlan said many Sudanese will likely feel let down by western countries, particularly those critical of how the world handled the heads of the two duelling forces ever since an October 2021 coup d'état.

"The signal that's been sent there is (that) there is a perception of people leaving the sinking ship," he said,

"That's how it looks, a sense of abandonment, for sure."

The federal government is not evacuating its locally hired Sudanese staff, saying it is "looking at all possible options to support them."

Coghlan said the issue of how to handle locals is always sensitive.

"The harsh reality is they are typically left to their own devices," he said.

"That's controversial within Global Affairs (Canada), out of a sense that we depend on these people 100 per cent."

Last summer, the Liberals came under fire over allegations that Canada did not heed intelligence warnings about the safety of its Ukraine embassy's locally engaged staff ahead of Russia's February 2022 full-scale invasion. The allegations, which have not been proven, include claims that other western countries had evacuated Ukrainians listed as targets by Moscow.

Coghlan said the current Sudan conflict, unlike the Ukraine invasion and the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan, does not have a focus on western policy.

If anything, Coghlan said Egypt and the United Arab Emirates likely have the most sway over resolving the upheaval, given the apparent support of Cairo for the Sudanese Armed Forces, and the Emirates for the RSF.

"It's a question of how much leverage do they want to exert," he said.

"Neither the SAF nor the RSF are the good guys here; neither of them deserve any support or any credibility."

Coghlan said the conflict raises stark questions about what countries like Canada have done over the years to build up democracy in Sudan.

He said western countries should have sanctioned both generals leading the two militias , and Canada could have funded civil-society groups that would eventually pose a political alternative.

"There are a lot of articulate and very brave civilians out there; a lot of people have been out demonstrating, women in particular," he said.

"But being civilians, they're not necessarily organized into blocks or leaders. So the default reaction of the international community is, 'we'll talk to the guys who've got the guns.'"

Coghlan said the end result is likely to involve more countries getting involved in a proxy war.

"The risk is the longer this goes on, the two forces ... will try to coerce various sectors of the population on ethnic or tribal grounds," he said.

He stressed the situation in Sudan is dynamic and he does not have the full facts surrounding Ottawa's choice to pull out diplomats and end consular services.

"The minister had a very hard decision to make here," he said. "It's very easy to be an armchair quarterback on this."

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