The first British military flights evacuating UK nationals from Sudan after a 72-hour ceasefire was agreed, is believed to have left for Cyprus.
Foreign Secretary James Cleverly announced that an evacuation would begin on Tuesday after ministers came under pressure to help at least 2,000 citizens flee fierce fighting.
A Royal Airforce plane believed to be part of the evacuation efforts has left an airfield out side Sudan’s capital, Khartoum, and is heading to the RAF Akrotiri military base in Cyprus, according to a plane tracking website. It arrived in Sudan from a military base in Cyprus earlier this morning.
The RAF aircraft is a Lockheed C-130J Hercules – a plane which can be used in airlift missions, which can hold around 100 people.
US secretary of state Antony Blinken announced that a three-day ceasefire in Sudan had been brokered between the two opposing sides: the nation’s regular army and paramilitary force the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). More than 420 people are believed to have been killed so far in the conflict.
British officials said evacuation priority is being given to the most vulnerable. One estimate has claimed up to 4,000 UK citizens could be stranded in the conflict-hit nation.
Meanwhile, the European Union has evacuated over 1,000 people, with France helping around 36 Irish citizens to safety. Ireland does not have the capacity to mount its own airlift operations and has been reliant on fellow EU states for assistance in the evacuation operation.
France’s ambassador to Ireland, Vincent Guerend, said the French had taken responsibility for securing an airport in recent days to facilitate the airlifts – a task he said was due to be taken on by Germany on Tuesday.
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The Foreign Office told citizens not to travel to the airfield unless they are contacted and warned the ability to carry out evacuations could change at short notice during the “volatile” truce.
Rishi Sunak said: “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.”
He said Britain will work to “end the bloodshed” in Sudan and support a democratic government.
Families with children or elderly relatives, or individuals with medical conditions, will be prioritised for the flights.
Only British passport holders and immediate family members with existing UK entry clearance were being told they are eligible.
Nationals have been warned that all travel within Sudan is “conducted at your own risk”.
Mr Cleverly said: “The UK Government is co-ordinating an evacuation of British nationals from Sudan. We have started contacting nationals directly and providing routes for departure out of the country.”
The Foreign Office said other exit routes are being considered, with two British military ships – RFA Cardigan Bay and HMS Lancaster – being lined up for possible evacuations.
A team of British troops is understood to have flown into Port Sudan to check out the options.
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 Khartoum could be “very difficult”, with the bridges crossing the Blue and White Nile rivers being controlled by the armed groups.
The South Sudanese government says about 9,000 people have crossed its border since the conflict began.
Newsnow