OTTAWA — About 200 Canadian Armed Forces members and two Hercules aircraft are in the Sudan region and ready to help evacuate people from the country when conditions permit, the defence minister said Wednesday.
However, it is still not clear when Canadian airlifts will begin.
Anita Anand told reporters on her way into the House of Commons that for those to happen, there will need to be space to land at the airport in Khartoum.
"The Canadian Armed Forces is providing military assistance for Canada's effort to evacuate Canadian eligible persons from Sudan," she said, adding that the security situation in the country is hostile and volatile.
Anand said the aircraft arrived "recently," though she would not specify when, and she did not say whether Canadian military personnel and equipment are actually in Sudan.
HMCS Montreal and the MV Asterix supply ship were re-tasked to the Red Sea off the coast of Sudan on Tuesday. The deployment on the frigate includes a helicopter.
About 150 Canadians and permanent residents have been able to leave the country in the last two days with the help of allies, including Germany, Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly said earlier Wednesday.
Officials from Global Affairs Canada and the Defence Department were expected to give a briefing to reporters later in the afternoon.
Sudan has been in a state of crisis since violence broke out last week between the East African country's army and a paramilitary force.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said earlier this week that a Canadian C-17 military plane was in the region to do airlifts, but so far Canada has relied on other countries to find space on their planes or boats.
Joly said roughly 1,800 Canadian citizens or permanent residents have registered their presence in Sudan and 700 of them have asked for help to get out of the country.
She said Canada is also considering a request from Sudanese diaspora groups for relatives to be able to come to Canada on a temporary basis until the violence abates.
Immigration Minister Sean Fraser said Wednesday the government called in some staffers who were on strike with the Public Service Alliance of Canada, declaring them essential workers in order to help process immigration paperwork for people in Sudan.
Fraser noted Canada is already fast-tracking applications Sudanese citizens had filed for visitor visas before the violence started, and is waiving some fees, such as for Canadians with expired passports.
"We see what's going on and are trying to adopt policies that reflect the gravity of the situation on the ground," he told reporters.
"We've actually had some staff return from the public service strike who are deemed essential to help those whose lives may be at risk, which is essential."
Joly noted that Canada is including dual nationals and permanent residents of Canada in its plans to help, as well as their spouses and dependants.
"In times of crisis, Canada's always there to help, and that's why we'll be there," she said.
Anand would not say whether Canada will send special forces soldiers into Sudan, as other countries have done.
"We're working very closely with our allies to ensure that we have a secure and targeted approach to get Canadians out," Anand said in response to questions from reporters Wednesday morning.
"We'll continue to do whatever possible, together with our allies and with our own capabilities, to ensure the safety and security of all Canadians."
This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 26, 2023.
Dylan Robertson and Sarah Ritchie, The Canadian Press
