Deputy Foreign Minister responsible for Greeks Abroad, Andreas Katsaniotis, on Tuesday welcomed the first 17 people, Greeks and their family members, who arrived at the 112 Battle Squadron in Elefsina from Sudan, travelling in a Hellenic Airforce C-27 transport plane.
Katsaniotis congratulated all those involved in bringing the trapped Greek nationals home, underlining that "from the first moment, the Greek government made the safety of the Greek citizens in Sudan a top priority."
He said that the foreign ministry had made all necessary efforts to guarantee their safe evacuation from the war-torn country.
On his part, the Chief of the Hellenic National Defence General Staff, General Konstantinos Floros, said that "an operation that was planned in great detail" was in progress. The Greek military forces, in full cooperation with the foreign ministry and the Greek government, will assist "in the manner requested of them" in the evacution of Greek citizens from Sudan, he added.
Floros noted also, that Greece was collaborating with friends and allies in order to facilitate the rescue of its nationals in Sudan with the assistance of other countries' forces as well.
He said that the two injured Greek nationals were already on their way to the 401 General Military Hospital, where the members of their families will be put up for as long as necessary.
One of the Greeks that returned on Tuesday from Sudan, Christos Dedes, said: "We are very happy to return safe and sound to Greece. We want to thank the airforce and the army that helped us return to our families. It was a very difficult situation and we hope that the rest of the Greeks that are still in Sudan will be lucky as we were and return home soon".