Jakarta (ANTARA) - An Indonesian citizen was struck by a stray bullet on Sunday (April 16, 2023), while a dozen others were evacuated to the Indonesian embassy in Khartoum amid the escalating military conflict in Sudan.
"The incident happened on the second day of the conflict. The Indonesian citizen lives in Arkaweet, and was hit by a stray bullet, which caused a small scratch on his waist," Director of Protection for Indonesian Citizens and Legal Entities at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Judha Nugraha informed via text message on Wednesday.
The victim has recovered, he added.
Meanwhile, 15 Indonesians were evacuated to shelters set up at the Indonesian embassy in Khartoum on Tuesday (April 18) in response to the mounting violence in Sudan.
The evacuation was carried out when the embassy staff went to distribute logistical assistance to Indonesian citizens affected by the security situation in the country.
"Using the opportunity when distributing logistical aid, the Indonesian embassy brought 15 Indonesian citizens from the area in Khartoum, the majority of which are families with children or babies and pregnant women," Nugraha said.
He advised Indonesian citizens who have not reached the embassy yet to stay at home and avoid any outdoor activities.
"For their (evacuees) safety, the movement to the Indonesian embassy's safe house was carried out when the security situation allowed," he said.
Based on data from the Indonesian embassy, there are around 1,209 Indonesian citizens living in Sudan. A majority of them live in Khartoum, some in Wad Madani, and Port Sudan.
The military conflict between the Sudanese national army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in Khartoum and the surrounding region has been raging since April 15.
More than 180 people have been killed and 1,800 others injured in the ongoing violence, according to United Nations data.
Disagreements between the two rivals over military and security reform, which involve the full participation of the RSF in the army, have turned into a heated conflict in recent months.
The dispute between the two rivals came to the fore last week when the army said that recent moves by the RSF had been uncoordinated and illegal.
On Tuesday, the Sudanese army agreed to a temporary truce with the RSF for 24 hours from 6 p.m. local time.
Japan is starting to prepare to evacuate its citizens from Sudan in the midst of the deadly fighting in the country, while Indonesia has not yet said that it will evacuate its citizens from Sudan.
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