77 more Pinoys from Sudan back in Philippines, DFA official says

Around 77 more Filipinos from conflict-hit Sudan arrived in the country on Thursday, Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Eduardo de Vega said Friday.

"Kahapon, may dumating na mga 77, so dalawang flights. So tuloy-tuloy po (Yesterday, around 77 Filipinos arrived, that was two flights. So the repatriation is continuous),” De Vega told Dobol B TV.

He added that 37 more Filipinos are set to arrive in the country on Saturday.

Around 100 Pinoy evacuees are currently in Port Sudan waiting for a commercial ship, he said.

Meanwhile, around 40 Filipinos are still staying in Sudan. De Vega said the Philippine government is verifying if this is their personal decision or they are being forced by their employers.

On Wednesday, DFA Assistant Secretary Paul Cortes said nearly 500 Pinoys have been repatriated from Sudan.

According to him, there are 864 registered Filipinos in the conflict-hit country.

The World Health Organization said 604 people had been killed and more than 5,000 injured since the violence erupted on April 15 between the two rival military factions.

More than 700,000 people have fled their homes in Sudan to escape , according to the International Organization for Migration.—AOL, GMA Integrated News