Labuan Bajo (ANTARA) - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) has stated that a total of 969 Indonesian nationals have been successfully rescued from Sudan, where an armed conflict is currently underway.

On Monday, the president stated that of the 969 Indonesians, 936 have been repatriated to Indonesia, while another 33 have been evacuated from Sudan and are now in safe locations.

"We will continue to improve and strengthen our protection for Indonesians in the future," he said during his visit in Labuan Bajo, West Manggarai District, East Nusa Tenggara.

The number of Indonesian evacuees announced by Jokowi on Monday showed that more Indonesians have been rescued since Friday (May 5), when Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi announced that 955 Indonesians have been evacuated.

She also remarked that the evacuation process is being conducted stealthily to ensure evacuees remain safe amid security uncertainty in Sudan that might threaten their safety.

"We are considering the safety and security of Indonesian nationals that we will evacuate because the conditions there are highly dynamic and fluid, which can harm the safety of our nationals," Marsudi stated.

Meanwhile, Coordinating Minister of Human Development and Cultural Affairs Muhadjir Effendy has ensured that the evacuation operation is running smoothly and the safety of Indonesian evacuees from Sudan would be paramount while evacuating them amid the ongoing conflict.

The Hajj Dormitory in East Jakarta had also been readied as the transit point for Indonesians arriving from Sudan. They will undergo health checks and can rest at the site before returning to their hometowns.

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Translator: Gilang Galiartha, Nabil Ihsan
Editor: Anton Santoso
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