Over 200 Ugandans who had been stranded following the outbreak of war in Sudan over ten days ago, have finally returned home.

They landed at Entebbe International Airport aboard a Uganda Airlines Airbus A330-800 early this morning 27th April 2023.

The returning Ugandans were accompanied by Ambassador Joseph Ocwet, the Director General of the External Security Organization (ESO), who led and coordinated the rescue mission.

It was a cheerful early morning at about 2.30 am as Ugandan evacuees from the war-ravaged Sudan arrived back home aboard an Uganda Airlines Airbus A330-800 plane which landed at Entebbe International Airport.

The group of 211 evacuees, who were studying, working, and living in Sudan, was accompanied by Ambassador Joseph Ocwet, the Director General of the External Security Organization (ESO), who coordinated the rescue mission. The Uganda Airlines Airbus A330-800 plane picked them up from Bahir Dar Airport in Northern Ethiopia.

The Senior Presidential Advisor on Special Operations Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba was at hand to receive the Ugandans in the execution of a special task from President Yoweri Museveni who directed him to take overall charge of the rescue operation.

According to Uganda's Ambassador to Sudan, Dr. Rashid Yahya Ssemuddu, no Ugandan is among the over 420 people who have been killed in the conflict so far.

An estimated 300 Ugandans were said to be stranded in Sudan. Amb. Ssemuddu gave assurance that the government will do all it takes to ensure that they return home safely.

In preparation for their evacuation, two days earlier, the Ugandans were led to Bahir Dar Airport in Northern Ethiopia by Ambassador Joseph Ocwet, the Director General of External Security Organization (ESO), together with Col. Asaph Mweteise of the Special Forces Command (SFC).

All along, Ambassador Ocwet and Col. Mweteise were in touch with Ambassador Ssemuddu oversaw the evacuation of the Ugandans from Sudan to Ethiopia following President Museveni’s directive to rescue them amidst the clashes between rival military factions in Khartoum.

Uganda now joins several other countries that had earlier evacuated their citizens from Khartoum, including the UK, US, Germany, France, and Pakistan, among others.

Mary Prima Awor