29 Kenyan students have been evacuated who were stranded in Sudan due to fighting between the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and the army.

Alfred Mutua the Foreign and Diaspora Affairs Cabinet Secretary said in a statement on Monday that the students had crossed into Ethiopia, where they would fly to Addis Ababa from Gondor and then to Nairobi.

“I wish to thank South Sudan, Ethiopia, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia for granting permission for Kenyan planes meant to evacuate stranded Kenyans in Sudan, to overfly their airspaces. I also, in particular, thank the Governments of South Sudan and Ethiopia for heeding our request and allowing Kenyans to cross their borders and make it to safety,” Mutua said.

He also stated that a Kenya Airforce plane was on standby to evacuate a group of 18 students traveling by road to the South Sudan border.

According to CS Mutua, another larger group of Kenyans on a well-planned itinerary will be transported by two aircraft from Port Sudan to Jeddah, after which they will fly to Nairobi on Kenya Airways (KQ).

The Cabinet Secretary also said that they are estimating to ferry 300-400 Kenyans this way, if not more.

“I wish to thank and encourage the Kenya Foreign and Diaspora staff in our missions in the various nations plus the multi-agency teams in Nairobi for the seamless co-ordination,” the CS said.

By Jane Kibathi.