The Riksdag was turned on Sunday and given the go-ahead to send an armed force to Sudan, where around 100 Swedes, including embassy staff and families, are said to be. According to the committee report, the evacuation effort applies to “Swedish and foreign citizens and equipment”.
Guna Graufelds, press secretary at the Armed Forces, confirms that it has received an assignment from the government.
– But at the moment, for security reasons, we cannot say more than that, she tells SVT Nyheter.
Activate the support force
According to information to SVT Nyheter, the Swedish Agency for Community Protection and Preparedness (MSB) has received a request from the Foreign Ministry to activate in the near future the support force. The is there to support foreign authorities in situations where many Swedes are affected by major events abroad, for example political unrest.
“It is true that we have received a request from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs regarding the situation, but otherwise refer all questions to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs,” writes Jenny Wärja, manager on standby at MSB, in an email to SVT Nyheter.
When the evacuation effort will be carried out, with which personnel and whether there will be cooperation with other countries is nothing the Swedish Armed Forces can comment on.
Defense flights against the region
The government with Foreign Minister Tobias Billström (M) and Defense Minister Pål Jonson (M) was, however during a press conference on Saturday clear that the force can leave within the next 24 hours.
– The force can get away as quickly as we can get a good and clear mandate from the Riksdag, Jonson said.
– We have already been able to see that the Armed Forces have prepared, we have already been able to see that the effort is underway, Billström also told Ekot on Saturday.
During the weekend, three planes from the Swedish Armed Forces departed in the direction of the region, data from air traffic control websites shows. The armed forces have declined to comment on the data.
The Foreign Affairs Committee Have suggested that the government is mandated to send an evacuation force of no more than 400 men to Sudan.
– It is unclear whether 400 men will be needed, says the chairman of the foreign affairs committee Aron Emilsson (SD) to SVT Nyheter.
According to information to TT, they expect to send 140-150 men.
