Evacuation of 280 Children from the Maygoma Orphanage to Khartoum

Moatinoon

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has announced its participation in the evacuation of 280 children and 70 caregivers from the Maygoma Orphanage in Khartoum, which has been affected by ongoing fighting, to a safe location outside the Sudanese capital.

In a press statement on Thursday, the ICRC stated that its team facilitated the evacuation process of the Maygoma Orphanage on Wednesday. The children, ranging in age from one month to 15 years, were transferred to Wad Madani city, located approximately 200 kilometers away from Khartoum.

Jean-Christophe Sandoz, the head of the ICRC delegation in Sudan, expressed great relief, stating, We are immensely relieved after ensuring the safety of these children. They have endured difficult times in an area where the conflict escalated over the past six weeks, depriving them of adequate healthcare. This situation was undoubtedly even more challenging for the orphaned children with special needs.

Some of the evacuated children were suffering from psychological health disorders that could worsen due to the immense psychological pressures imposed on them in the conflict environment.

The ICRC facilitated the evacuation process in response to a request from the Ministry of Social Development, in close coordination with the Ministry of Health in Sudan. As a neutral intermediary, the ICRC obtained the necessary security guarantees from the conflict parties to ensure the safe passage of the children and orphanage staff. Once they arrived in Wad Madani, the children were placed under the care of ministry workers.

The ICRC has been closely collaborating with the Sudanese Red Crescent Society since the outbreak of the conflict in Sudan on April 15, delivering surgical supplies to hospitals, assisting in body retrieval and identification, and improving access to clean water. The two organizations also provide support to families who have lost contact with their loved ones. In addition to these aid and activities, the ICRC maintains channels of dialogue with all parties to facilitate medical evacuations of the wounded and remind them of their obligations under international humanitarian law.