AS hundreds of thousands of people continue to flee the fighting in Sudan, Jamaica’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has reported that no Jamaicans have been identified in the conflict areas.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) on Monday said it is working with governments and partners, preparing for the possibility that more than 800,000 people may flee the fighting for neighbouring countries.

“We hope it doesn’t come to that but if violence doesn’t stop we will see more people forced to flee Sudan seeking safety,” said the UNHCR.

But as concerns grew worldwide about the safety of foreign nationals in Sudan’s war zone, Jamaica’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Senator Kamina Johnson Smith said, further to enquiries made into the possible presence of Jamaicans in Sudan, at the time of writing, none were identified.

According to Johnson Smith, Jamaica’s two honorary consuls in the region have been on high alert, ready to assist Jamaicans who may be negatively impacted by the crisis.

“The Jamaican honorary consul in Kenya, located in the region, has made exhaustive checks with immigration personnel and her contacts in Sudan. Similarly, the honorary consul in Ethiopia made thorough enquiries with authorities and his Sudanese contacts as well.

“Both have advised that all reports indicate that no Jamaicans have been caught in the crisis, nor have any been identified crossing borders,” said Johnson Smith.

She added that her ministry, through the Jamaican high commissions in Pretoria and the United Kingdom, has also been actively engaging other international partners that have diplomatic presence in Sudan, with a view to securing assistance in safeguarding any Jamaicans who may be in or near the conflict zone in Sudan, were any to be identified.

Johnson Smith said to date their enquiries have also not indicated the presence of any Jamaicans in the affected areas.

She said the foreign ministry will continue to monitor the situation in Sudan, and people who know of any Jamaican relative or friend currently in that country are being asked to contact the ministry.

On Monday, Sudan’s warring generals agreed to send representatives for negotiations, potentially in Saudi Arabia, even as the two sides clashed in the capital of Khartoum despite another three-day extension of a fragile cease-fire.

If the talks come together, they would initially focus on establishing a “stable and reliable” ceasefire, Volker Perthes told The Associated Press. However, he warned of challenges in holding the negotiations.

A string of temporary truces over the past week has eased fighting only in some areas while fierce battles have continued elsewhere, driving civilians from their homes and pushing Sudan further into disaster.

Humanitarian groups have been trying to restore the flow of help to a country where nearly a third of the population of 46 million relied on international aid even before the explosion of violence.

The UN food agency on Monday said it was ending the temporary suspension of its operations in Sudan, put in place after three of its team members were killed in the war-wrecked Darfur region early in the fighting.

Fierce fighting across Sudan has left hopes for a peaceful transition to civilian rule in tatters. Forces loyal to two rival generals are vying for control of the country.