President Museveni has directed the elite force, Special Forces Command (SFC) under the unit command of Col Asaph Nyakikuru Mweteise to expedite the evacuation mission of Ugandans stranded in Sudan.
Mr Ofwono Opondo told journalists at Uganda Media Center that the government had procured the National Airline, Uganda Airlines Airbus to evacuate them today via Gedaref airport in the east however the runway is too small for the Air bus to land but the government of Ethiopia had secured Baidan airport in the north of Ethiopia where Ugandans are being transported in buses about 750kms from where the airbus will land and airlift them back home.
This mission, according to Mr Opondo will be supported by the External Security Organisation (ESO) boss Joseph Ocwet.
“Ambassador Ocwet has been directed to go with Uganda Airlines and physically pick Ugandans from Ethiopia together with Col Asaph Nyakikuru Mweteise of SFC at Bahirdar Airport in Northern Ethiopia,” Opondo said.
Those that are being evacuated on the president Museveni’s directive are all Ugandans mainly composed of Students and Ugandans working in Sudan.
Ugandans have been advised to assemble at the University of Africa in Khartoum ,how ever others have been assisted by the UN while others have found their way to Cairo and Djibouti.
Government Spokesperson Ofwono Opondo says they being evacuated to safety will arrive.