Question Period Note: Operation SAVANNE

Despite having Canadian Armed Forces members and assets already in the region, Canada lagged on evacuation efforts and left Canadians stranded. Did this Government not learn any lessons from the crisis in Afghanistan?

• National Defence recognizes that the situation in Sudan remains extremely dangerous and volatile.
• To date, approximately 600 Canadian Armed Forces members have supported evacuation efforts from Sudan.
• These efforts have successfully facilitated the evacuation of approximately 550 people from Sudan, on six Canadian Armed Forces flights.
• In fact, Canada provided one of the last evacuation flights out of the Wadi Sayyidna airfield, with Canadians and other nationalities onboard.
• As the Government of Canada transitioned its efforts from emergency rescue to consular support, most CAF units were stood down and are in the process of being re-deployed.

If pressed on future assistance

• National Defence continues to work with Global Affairs Canada to monitor the situation.
• Members of the CAF Military Assistance Team remain in the region should future assistance be required by other government departments.

• Timeline of assets deployments:
  • Wednesday, April 19th: CAF Military Liaison Officers are deployed.
  • Friday, April 21st: CAF Strategic Advisory Team and additional Liaison Officers are deployed.
  • Sunday, April 23rd: CAF Military Assistance Team is deployed.
  • Monday, April 24th: Two (2) CC-130 J Hercules are deployed, and HMCS Montreal and MV Asterix are tasked to remain in the region.
  • Monday, April 24th: CAF Operational Liaison and Reconnaissance Team is deployed.
  • Tuesday, April 25th: CAF Non-combatant Evacuation Operation force package is deployed.
• Timeline of Evacuation Flights:
  • The CAF has conducted six (6) evacuation flights from Sudan, using CC-130J Hercules aircraft:
  • Flight #1 and #2: Thursday, April 27 – 111 passengers, 43 Canadians and permanent residents, including the evacuation of 68 other Nationals.
  • Flight #3 and #4: Friday, April 28 – 221 passengers, 74 Canadians and permanent residents, including the evacuation of 147 other Nationals.
  • Flight #5 and #6: Saturday, April 29 – Approximately 204 passengers, 59 Canadians and permanent residents, including the evacuation of 145 other Nationals.
  • Total:
    • Almost 550 individuals evacuated on Canadian flights, including approximately 176 Canadians and permanent residents.
    • Canadian flights evacuated 360 other Nationals, contributing to Allies’ and partners’ evacuation efforts from Sudan.
    • Approximately 400 Canadians and permanent residents have been evacuated from Sudan on Canadian and Allied flights.
    • Roughly 160 Canadian affected persons in Sudan are seeking assistance and information through Global Affairs.
• On April 29th, 2023, due to the dangerous conditions at the Wadi Sayyidna airfield, and in concert with decisions made by our allies the Government of Canada ended evacuation flights, and Canadian Armed Forces personnel are now clear of the airfield.
• Following the end of the evacuation flights, Government of Canada efforts transitioned to the provision of consular support, which do not necessitate the same level of support from CAF assets. As such, most CAF units and elements have been re-deployed to Canada, repositioned elsewhere in Europe and the Middle East, or proceeded on other priority missions around the globe.
• HMCS Montreal and MV Asterix, will continue with their previously assigned mission in support of Operation PROJECTION in the Indo-Pacific. During the initial emergency rescue phase, both ships provided additional layers of security; while MV Asterix also played a critical role, re-suppling allied naval forces including the Royal Navy, la marine de la France and the US Navy allowing them to remain on station to support their national evacuation plans.
• The CC-130J aircraft mobilized in support of Op SAVANNE have returned to Air Task Force – Prestwick where they will continue to provide airlift in support of CAF missions across Europe and the Middle East.
• The CAF Non-combatant Evacuation Operation force package is anticipated to complete its redeployment back to Canada by 8 May.
• The CAF will be leaving a small military assistance team in the region to support Global Affairs for as long as required.

• As soon as 19 April, a CAF Strategic Advisory Team, a Military Assistance Team, as well as military Liaison Officers, were deployed to Djibouti to support the evacuation of Canadian Based Personnel from the Canadian Embassy. Personnel remain linked-up with Allies and partner nations in analyzing the security situation and developing options to support the broader evacuation efforts of Canadian Eligible Persons.
• A larger Non-Combatant Evacuation Operations force package arrived in the region on April 25, and joined the personnel already in place. This force package is tasked with providing support to Global Affairs Canada including logistics, intelligence, transportation, basic health care, and the force protection required to evacuate Canadian Eligible Persons from Sudan.
• Non-Combatant Evacuation Operations is among the contingency tasks that at all times, has a designated Lead Mounting Unit trained, and with designated elements at specific states of readiness. Currently, 3rd Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment based out of Petawawa ON, holds this task.