PHNOM PENH: Six Cambodian students evacuated from Sudan returned to Cambodia safely on April 29, 2023 thanks to the collaborated efforts of the governments of Cambodia, Malaysia, and Saudi Arabia.

Secretary of State for the Ministry of Education, Nos Sles, welcomed the return of six Cambodian students and confirmed that the group of Muslim students had returned home on a Bangkok Air flight.

He said, "The liberation and rescue of the six Khmer Muslim students took place following the guidance and consideration of Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Cambodia, Hun Sen, and Senior Minster Osman Hassan who worked with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation to coordinate with the embassies of Malaysia and Saudi Arabia to help evacuate the students from the volatile situation in Sudan."

The Cambodian students had been studying in Sudan and were evacuated on April 26 to Saudi Arabia, where they stayed while plans were made to return them to Cambodia.

Spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, An Sok Khoeun, confirmed that the students were enrolled in a university in Khartoum when a violent battle erupted between rival military factions. They were subsequently gathered with other international students in a centralized location at the university on April 15 where they awaited evacuation.

The Royal Government of Cambodia has previously liberated Cambodian students from insecure situations in Egypt (50), Libya (18), Yemen (16) and now Sudan (6).