crisis
The UK government has begun a large-scale evacuation of British citizens from Sudan, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced. Families with children, the elderly and those with medical conditions will be given priority on Royal Air Force (RAF) flights leaving from an airfield near the capital city of Khartoum.
The government has already started contacting British nationals in Sudan to inform them of the evacuation plans. A ceasefire was agreed between rival military factions on Monday night for a period of 72 hours, though at least 400 people have been killed in fighting since April 15th.
Ministers have come under increasing pressure to help UK citizens flee the violence, with around 4,000 thought to be in Sudan and 2,000 having already requested assistance. Only British passport holders and their immediate family with existing UK entry clearance are eligible for evacuation.
Many have spent days indoors with food and drink running low and no electricity or wifi. Several have spoken of their anger at being left behind, while other foreign nationals and embassy staff were flown out. On Sunday, the UK airlifted diplomats and their families out of Sudan in a military operation.
The ceasefire appears to be holding so far after taking effect at midnight on Monday (22:00 GMT), but the Foreign Office has warned that the ability to carry out evacuations could change at short notice. Sir Nicholas Kay, a former UK ambassador to Sudan, told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme that the situation in Khartoum was precarious and the security situation could change rapidly due to a lack of trust between the two sides in the conflict.
Conservative MP Alicia Kearns, who is also chair of the foreign affairs select committee, said that current information suggested the ceasefire was holding, which was an “enormous relief”. She urged British citizens to remain in place, adding that the government could not evacuate people who were not British nationals. Hundreds of people have been airlifted from Sudan by other countries, including more than 1,000 people by European Union nations.
The UK government is urging British citizens in Sudan to contact them if they require assistance. WhatsApp: +44 7756 165803, Tweet: @BBC_HaveYourSay or email HaveYourSay@bbc.co.uk are all ways to get in touch. Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist, as well as your name, age and location with any submission.
In conclusion, the UK government has begun a large-scale evacuation of British citizens from Sudan due to the ongoing violence in the region. Priority will be given to families with children, the elderly and those with medical conditions on RAF flights leaving from an airfield near Khartoum. The government has already started contacting British nationals in Sudan and have urged them to get in touch if they require assistance. The ceasefire appears to be holding so far but the Foreign Office has warned that this could change at short notice.