In Sudan, the country’s two most powerful men have been dueling since mid-April. The power struggle has plunged Africa’s third-largest country into chaos. Nearly three dozen Austrians were flown out by the Bundeswehr about a week ago in a spectacular action. The “Krone” spoke to the responsible Major General Dirk Faust.
Crown: Major General, you have not only removed 200 Germans from the crisis area, but also nearly 600 people from other countries. Did you also evacuate Austrians?
Dirk Faust: As far as I know, 29 Austrian citizens were among the 780 people rescued.
What condition were the people in?
Incredibly tense and exhausted. They had been threatened for days, did not know if they would safely leave the country, some had no electricity, internet or telephone and were therefore practically cut off from the outside world.
What were your first actions on the ground?
It was important that we could provide people with water and that they could wait for departure in halls or in the shade. Because in the sun it was 50 degrees.
Did you have to carry out identity checks before accepting passengers?
In Sudan, a register was maintained by the military police and a so-called crisis support team from Foreign Affairs was also on site. There was also a person and baggage check, so that we had the highest possible level of security on our plane.
What threat situation did you assume?
In principle, we were prepared for anything and prepared in such a way that we could also have acted on the spot in the event of an escalation. Our forces were arranged so that at any time we could have fought and defended ourselves and held on.
How long could you have stayed in Sudan in the event of an accident or was a replacement machine available?
We were set up to last with several A400M aircraft.
Does it matter to you and your men whether you risk your life for your own citizens or for foreign citizens?
We rescue people under protection, that’s the job. The evacuation of citizens of friendly states is self-evident and of course makes no difference.
The next evacuation after Kabul – should military forces around the world focus more on this type of operation?
I can only speak for my area of responsibility, the Rapid Forces Division. For us, national risk and crisis management as an umbrella term for military evacuation operations and national and allied defense are two sides of the same coin.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
