Two more Self-Defense Forces aircraft have left for Djibouti, the Defense Ministry said Saturday, as Japan prepares to evacuate its nationals from Sudan where military clashes are ongoing.

A total of 63 Japanese citizens, including embassy staff, were in Sudan as of Wednesday, a government official said earlier.

A C-2 transport aircraft and a KC-767 aerial refueling plane will join a C-130 transport airplane that left Japan on Friday to stand by in Djibouti, where the SDF has a base as part of an anti-piracy mission in the Gulf of Aden.

The ministry has formed a task force to carry out the evacuation consisting of around 370 personnel from the Ground and Air Self-Defense forces.


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