‘Do not leave people outside in the middle of a war-zone’: Families say Irish citizens locked out of French embassy in Khartoum

Irish citizens attempting to flee Sudan were left locked out of the French embassy in Khartoum after being advised by the Department of Foreign Affairs an evacuation convoy would be leaving on Sunday morning, families have said.

Aia Mohamed, a Galway-based doctor, says her father Dr Murtada Mohamed and her mother Eiman Idris, were among about 150 EU citizens who made it into the embassy but about 50 others were not allowed in “because they were full”.

Her family had travelled to Sudan to celebrate the Muslim festival of Eid, she said. “My parents got into the French embassy, but I have really close friends who were not even let in. They could have brought them in at least and given them sanctuary. Do not leave people outside on the street in the middle of a war-zone. Give them a plan.”

Another Irishwoman, who did not want to be named to protect her family, said her two Irish-born siblings – in their 20s – had followed advice from the Irish embassy in Nairobi to make their way to the French embassy by noon local time on Sunday. Having decided it was too dangerous they turned to return home.

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[ Defence Forces team being deployed to Sudan to help evacuation of Irish citizens ]

They were then advised by email the deadline had been extended to 2pm and they attempted the journey again.

When they finally got there, however, they were not allowed in. On social media her sister posted a photograph of people on a street, saying: “The French embassy won’t let us in there ... approx 50 people. This area is NOT safe.”

A later email advised Irish citizens to make their way to the Spanish ambassador’s residence to join an evacuation convoy for EU citizens. A further email later advised Italy was organising an airlift from the capital’s Wadi Seidna airport, to Djibouti.

The woman whose sister posted about efforts to escape said they had no transport to get to the Spanish ambassador’s residence which was a considerable distance on foot and a “very dangerous” journey. She has no idea if they made it, she says.

Ms Mohammed showed emails she had received from the Department of Foreign Affairs starting at 8.26am. It said: “France has advised they will take charge of Irish citizens for an evacuation procedure today (by air). Irish citizens on the Department of Foreign Affairs’ citizens register should go the French embassy (muster point) before 11am local time on Sunday, April 23rd, 2023.”

The email said to bring a small bag and no pets. “Please note – participation in this evacuation is at your own risk. Please take care.”

At 3.09pm Ms Mohammed, who is in contact with her parents, received an email saying: “Spain has advised that a convoy for EU citizens will leave their ambassador’s residence at 3.30pm local time. The convoy will travel to an air evacuation point.”

At 3.17pm a further email said the convoy from the Spanish ambassador’s residence would be at 4pm “at the latest”.

At 3.43pm the Irish embassy in Nairobi sent a message to citizens: “Limited spaces in Italian airlift Wadi Seidna airport. Italy has advised an Italian airlift will leave Wadi Seidna airport to Djibouti today. Italy can assist a limited number of EU citizens arriving at the airport with their own means of transport before 5pm... we cannot guarantee that there will be sufficient capacity to assist any citizens who choose to go to Wedi Seidna airport.”

The Irishwoman said her siblings had not been advised of any capacity issues at the French embassy, only of changing deadlines to get there. “Things are just getting worse and worse there. Had they known there was a capacity issue there they might not have taken the risk and left the house at all. They have essentially been left stranded.”

On Sunday evening she did not know if they were safe or whether they would make it out of Sudan. She described the planning as “chaotic”. She said she and her parents were “worried sick, absolutely in bits. We can’t function right now”.

The Government has said a team of Irish special forces soldiers and diplomats is being dispatched to Sudan “imminently” to assist Irish people in leaving the country in response to the worsening violence there.

Ireland must rely on EU allies as the Defence Forces has no aircraft capable of carrying out the mission.

International efforts to evacuate diplomatic personnel and other citizens continued on Sunday as battles between two rival Sudanese commanders entered their ninth day.

More than 150 Irish citizens in Sudan have contacted the Department of Foreign Affairs seeking assistance.