Uganda completes first phase of evacuations from South Africa as xenophobic violence escalates

Uganda has completed the first phase of its voluntary evacuation of citizens from South Africa, bringing home 1,102 nationals fleeing a surge in xenophobic violence and anti-migrant protests. The sixth and final evacuation flight carrying 219 Ugandans landed safely at Entebbe International Airport on Thursday, concluding the government-backed repatriation operation. The chartered flight departed O.R. Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg before arriving in Kampala. In a statement, the Ugandan Embassy in South Africa said the final arrival marked the successful completion of the first phase of the evacuation exercise. “The arrival marks the successful conclusion of phase one of the Government of Uganda’s voluntary repatriation exercise,” the embassy said. It added that 1,102 Ugandan nationals had returned home aboard six coordinated evacuation flights organised jointly by the Ugandan and South African authorities.