The UK government has begun evacuating British citizens from Sudan with Royal Air Force (RAF) aircraft, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has announced.
More than 420 people—including at least 273 civilians—have been killed in a bloody conflict between the Sudanese army and a powerful paramilitary group known as the Rapid Support Forces, which broke out on April 15.
About 2,000 UK citizens in Sudan have registered with the British Embassy for evacuation, but the true number of British nationals in the war-torn country could be higher.
Sunak said on Twitter: “The government has begun a large-scale evacuation of British passport holders from Sudan on RAF flights. Priority will be given to the most vulnerable, including families with children and the elderly.
“I pay tribute to the British Armed Forces, diplomats and Border Force staff carrying out this complex operation. The UK will continue to work to end the bloodshed in Sudan and support a democratic government.”
Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said: “The UK government is coordinating an evacuation of British nationals from Sudan. We have started contacting nationals directly and providing routes for departure out of the country.”
An RAF C-130 transport carrier was seen on flight trackers leaving an airbase north of the capital on Tuesday morning as the operation was under way.
Only British passport holders and immediate family members with existing UK entry clearance are being told they are eligible.
Families with children or elderly relatives, or individuals with medical conditions, will be prioritised for the flights.
Britons would need to make their own way to the airbase without an escort.
Fragile Ceasefire
The government is carrying out the evacuation during a 72-hour ceasefire agreed by the warring parties.According to U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, the truce—which started at 10 p.m. GMT on Monday—had been agreed between the warring parties after 48 hours of negotiations.
Talking to broadcasters on Tuesday morning, the British foreign secretary acknowledged the situation in Sudan remains dangerous and volatile despite the ceasefire.
Cleverly said, “We will maintain this airhead for as long as we can, but the situation does remain dangerous and volatile.”
He added: “This is an active conflict. The ceasefire has been announced but we know there have been pockets of violence even within previous ceasefires. So this does remain dangerous, this does remain difficult. We are providing what assistance we can and we are operating as quickly as we can.”
Cleverly said he had made contact with the leaders of the rival military factions in Sudan but it is impossible to predict how long the window for the evacuation will remain open.
“It is important to remember that ceasefires have been announced and have fallen apart in the past, so the situation remains dangerous, volatile, and unpredictable,” he said.
“I’ve spoken—either directly or through intermediaries—with the leaders of the factions on the ground, calling on them to allow British nationals, dual nationals, and minors to be evacuated and we will continue to push for the maintenance of this ceasefire.
“Of course, it is impossible for us to predict how long this opportunity will last and we are calling people forward in priority order based on their vulnerability.”
Under Pressure
The government said on Sunday that the British military had evacuated UK diplomats and their families from Sudan.But ministers came under mounting pressure to evacuate British nationals trapped in the war zone following reports that Britain’s European allies had already airlifted hundreds of their citizens out of the country.
The foreign secretary rejected allegations that the government has acted too slowly in its evacuation effort.
Cleverly told broadcasters: “The circumstances for each individual nation are different. There are considerably more British nationals in Sudan than other countries have got.”
Labour’s shadow foreign secretary David Lammy said he is “extremely relieved to hear of the short but desperately needed ceasefire” but added that “the government must now work with great speed to ensure as many British nationals still in Sudan can be rescued as quickly and safely as possible.”
Sir Nicholas Kay, a former British ambassador to Sudan, warned that the situation during the ceasefire remains “precarious.”
He told BBC Radio 4’s “Today” programme: “The security situation can change very quickly, the command and control over forces isn’t complete, and there is no trust between the two sides. So they might kick off again.”
The former diplomat warned that moving around the Sudanese capital Khartoum could be “very difficult,” with the bridges crossing the Blue and White Nile rivers being controlled by the armed groups.
