The Philippines' Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said on Thursday that 74 Filipino citizens caught in the fierce fighting in Sudan have crossed the border and are now in Egypt.

"More buses of Filipino evacuees are expected," spokeswoman Teresita Daza said in a statement, without elaborating.

Daza said that Philippine Ambassador to Egypt Ezzedin Tago welcomed the first batch of 51 Filipino evacuees at Egypt's Argeen border.

Aside from the 51 Filipinos at the border, Foreign Undersecretary Eduardo de Vega said in a television interview that 23 other Filipinos also left Sudan's capital Khartoum and reached another Sudan-Egypt border.

The official said they were still working for the exit of more Filipinos who want to leave Sudan. "We hope that the ceasefire will be extended so we can evacuate them safely," he added.

The DFA said there are at least 740 Filipinos in Sudan, and the majority are professionals.

Source:
courtesy of XINHUA NEWS AGENCY

by PELITA BRUNEI

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