Sudan – live: Final evacuation flight for fleeing Britons leaves as violence resumes
The final evacuation flight for British nationls has now left Sudan as a fragile ceasefire holds in the country.
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) had given those looking to flee the war-torn nation until 11am UK time - midday in Sudan - to reach the departure site on the eastern coast.
Officials at the Foreign Office would not confirm what time the flight was due to take off, but flight tracking websites showed a Royal Air Force (RAF) Airbus A400M Atlas plane as having landed at Port Sudan at about 3pm on Monday.
The UK government said it was “exceptionally” offering one final flight for a limited number of British nationals still in the country.
It comes as a UN official said more than 800,000 people may flee the war-torn country.
The UN Assistant High Commissioner for Refugees, Raouf Mazou, said: “In consultation with all concerned governments and partners we’ve arrived at a planning figure of 815,000 people that may flee into the seven neighboring countries.”
Key Points
Deadline passes for final evacuation flight leaving Sudan
UN: 73,000 people fleeing Sudan war enter neighbouring countries
British nationals race against the clock to reach last evacuation flight
Clashes continue despite ceasefire extension
As battle for Sudan continues, civilian deaths top 400
Watch: Tory minister says Sudan rescue mission critics are stirring up ‘personality psychodrama’
Saturday 29 April 2023 19:00 , Emily Atkinson
ICYMI | Deadline passes for British nationals in Sudan to reach evacuation airfield
Saturday 29 April 2023 20:00 , Emily Atkinson
The deadline for British nationals to reach the evacuation airfield in Sudan has passed as the Government prepares to cease flights out of the war-torn region within hours.
Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden will chair a Cobra meeting on Saturday afternoon to discuss the security situation in Khartoum in advance of the final flight taking off at 6pm UK time.
Some 1,573 people on 13 flights have been evacuated from the Wadi Saeedna site near the capital but thousands more British citizens may remain.
Read the story in full here:
Deadline passes for British nationals in Sudan to reach evacuation airfield
US conducts first evacuation of citizens from Sudan war
Saturday 29 April 2023 22:01 , Katy Clifton
Hundreds of Americans fleeing Sudan have reached the east African nation’s port Saturday in the first US-run evacuation, completing a dangerous land journey under the escort of armed drones.American unmanned aircraft, which have been keeping an eye on overland evacuation routes for days, provided armed overwatch for a bus convoy carrying 200 to 300 Americans over 500 miles or 800 kilometres to Port Sudan, a place of relative safety, US officials said.The US, which had none of its officials on the ground for the evacuation, has been criticized by families of trapped Americans in Sudan for initially ruling out any US-run evacuation for those among an estimated 16,000 Americans in Sudan who wish to leave.
Warring factions ‘open to negotiations'
Sunday 30 April 2023 00:01 , Katy Clifton
Warring sides in Sudan are more open to negotiations and have accepted the conflict that erupted two weeks ago cannot continue, a UN official said on Saturday, a possible flicker of hope even as fighting continued.
Volker Perthes, UN special representative in Sudan, said the sides had nominated representatives for talks which had been suggested for Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, or Juba in South Sudan, though he said there was a practical question over whether they could get there to “actually sit together”. He said no timeline had been set for talks.
The prospects of negotiations between the leaders of the two sides have so far seemed bleak. On Friday, army leader General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan said in an interview he would never sit down with the RSF’s “rebel” leader, referring to General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, who said he would only talk after the army ceased hostilities.
Round-up: April 29 Sudan news
Sunday 30 April 2023 01:00 , William Mata
Some of the top stories from Sudan on SaturdayEx-Sudanese PM warns conflict risks becoming ‘nightmare for world’
Airstrikes have rocked parts of Sudan's capital Khartoum despite the extended ceasefire by the country's two warring factions, as the former Sudanese prime minister urged both sides to get together for peace talks.
US conducts 1st evacuation of its citizens from Sudan war
The United States has carried out its first evacuation of American citizens and permanent residents from Sudan since war broke out in the capital two weeks ago
Government agrees to include NHS doctors on flights out of Sudan
Ministers answered calls to widen the eligibility criteria, which had previously been limited to British nationals and their immediate family.
As battle for Sudan continues, civilian deaths top 400
Gunfire and heavy artillery fire has persisted in parts of Sudan’s capital Khartoum, residents said, despite the extension of a cease-fire between the country’s two top generals, whose battle for power has killed hundreds and sent thousands fleeing for their lives
Saturday pictures: Sudan conflict continues
Sunday 30 April 2023 02:00 , William Mata
‘More than 1,800 now rescued’ says UK foreign office
Sunday 30 April 2023 03:00 , William Mata
The Foreign, Common and Development Office said shortly after 9pm UK time that the final flight was yet to leave the airfield near Khartoum, despite it being previously scheduled for 6pm.
Foreign secretary James Cleverly said: “The UK has brought more than 1,888 people to safety from Sudan thanks to the efforts of staff and military working around the clock to deliver this evacuation - the largest of any western country.
“We continue to press all diplomatic levers to secure a long-term ceasefire and end the bloodshed in Sudan. Ultimately a stable transition to civilian rule is the best way to protect the security and prosperity of the Sudanese people.”
Some 1,888 people on 21 flights have been evacuated from Sudan - the vast majority of them British nationals and their dependents, the Government said.
1573 people have now been evacuated from Sudan on 13 UK flights.
British nationals still in Sudan who wish to leave should make their way to the Wadi Saeedna airfield near Khartoum by 1200 Sudan time on Saturday 29 April to be processed for the final UK evacuation flight.— Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (@FCDOGovUK) April 28, 2023
Watch: From Friday, watch this moment a journalist found his uncle among evacuees
Sunday 30 April 2023 04:00 , William Mata
Evacuation flights for British nationals end despite fears more remain trapped in Khartoum
Sunday 30 April 2023 07:38 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
The final UK evacuation flight from Sudan departed from the Wadi Saeedna airfield near Khartoum at 10pm local time on Saturday, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) said.
A statement on the Government’s foreign travel advice for Sudan website said: “The UK Government is no longer running evacuation flights from Wadi Saeedna airfield.
“The last evacuation flight departed the airfield at 2200 Sudan time on 29 April.”
It comes as a Government minister said the evacuation mission has been “extremely successful” but cannot last “forever”.
The deadline for UK nationals to reach the site in order to be processed for the last flight passed at 12pm local time, after the Government confirmed it was winding down its rescue operation.
At least 1,888 people on 21 flights have been evacuated from Sudan - the vast majority of them British nationals and their dependents - but thousands more British citizens may remain.
Speaking to the BBC, Foreign Office minister Andrew Mitchell said the operation has been “extremely successful”, but stressed: “We can’t stay there forever in such dangerous circumstances.”
Fighting has broken out again in Khartoum despite the extension of an armistice between the country’s two warring generals having been brokered in the early hours of Friday.
Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said: “The UK has brought more than 1,888 people to safety from Sudan thanks to the efforts of staff and military working around the clock to deliver this evacuation - the largest of any western country.
“We continue to press all diplomatic levers to secure a long-term ceasefire and end the bloodshed in Sudan. Ultimately a stable transition to civilian rule is the best way to protect the security and prosperity of the Sudanese people.”
Sudanese Armed Forces may have stopped British nationals from reaching evacuation airstrip, Tory MP fears
Sunday 30 April 2023 08:00 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
Foreign Affairs Committee chairwoman and Conservative MP Alicia Kearns said she had received reports that elements of the Sudanese Armed Forces had blocked some British nationals from accessing the air base ahead of the final flight’s departure.
She told The Observer: “I’ve had some messages saying the Sudanese Armed Forces have been stopping people from crossing through Khartoum to get to the airstrip.
“I think we need to look into that and see if that’s got any truth to it.”
US conducts 1st evacuation of its citizens from Sudan war
Sunday 30 April 2023 08:30 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
Hundreds of Americans fleeing two weeks of deadly fighting in Sudan reached the east African nation’s port Saturday in the first U.S.-run evacuation, completing a dangerous land journey under escort of armed drones.
American unmanned aircraft, which have been keeping an eye on overland evacuation routes for days, provided armed overwatch for a bus convoy carrying 200 to 300 Americans over 500 miles or 800 kilometers to Port Sudan, a place of relative safety, U.S. officials said.
The U.S., which had none of its officials on the ground for the evacuation, has been criticized by families of trapped Americans in Sudan for initially ruling out any U.S.-run evacuation for those among an estimated 16,000 Americans in Sudan who wish to leave.
US conducts 1st evacuation of its citizens from Sudan war
Hundreds of Indonesians evacuated from Sudan arrive in Jakarta
Sunday 30 April 2023 09:11 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
A further 363 Indonesian citizens evacuated from Sudan arrived home on Sunday on a second flight by the country’s flag carrier Garuda Indonesia, the country’s foreign ministry said.
The conflict between Sudan‘s army and a paramilitary group called the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has triggered a rush to extract foreign diplomats and citizens by several countries including Indonesia, United States, Japan, Germany and Britain.
A first group of Indonesian evacuees arrived back in the country on Friday, and a total of 748 citizens have been evacuated from Sudan as of Sunday.
“Not only Indonesian citizens, the government of Indonesia also helped evacuate a number of foreign citizens,” the foreign ministry said in a statement, without providing details how many foreigners Indonesia has evacuated.
What is happening in Sudan and why? The war and conflict explained
Sunday 30 April 2023 09:40 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
Tension had been building for months between Sudan’s army and the RSF, which together toppled a civilian government in an October 2021 coup.
The friction was brought to a head by an internationally-backed plan to launch a new transition with civilian parties. A final deal was due to be signed earlier in April, on the fourth anniversary of the overthrow of long-ruling autocrat Omar al-Bashir in a popular uprising.
Both the army and the RSF were required to cede power under the plan and two issues proved particularly contentious: one was the timetable for the RSF to be integrated into the regular armed forces, the second was when the army would be formally placed under civilian oversight.
Joe Sommerlad reports:
What is happening in Sudan? The crisis explained
UK will continue to support British nationals still in Sudan, transport secretary says
Sunday 30 April 2023 10:32 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
The UK will continue to provide support for British nationals in Sudan now that evacuation flights have ended, the transport secretary has said.
Mark Harper told Sky News’s Sophy Ridge On Sunday programme: “The evacuation that we have conducted is the longest and largest evacuation of any western nation.
“We have taken out 1,888 British nationals, which I think is a testimony to the hard work of both those on the ground who have put themselves at risk and also those working at HQ to get that evacuation in place.”
He added: “We have now got some staff based at Port Sudan which is where we are going to continue providing consular support for British nationals that have chosen to remain in the country.”
Ex-Sudanese PM warns conflict risks becoming ‘nightmare for world’ as civilian death toll hits 411
Sunday 30 April 2023 11:00 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
Airstrikes rocked parts of Sudan’s capital Khartoum on Saturday despite the extended ceasefire by the country’s two warring factions, as the former Sudanese prime minister urged both sides to get together for peace talks.
Terrified residents in some areas of the city reported explosions nearby and fighters ransacking houses, although residents in other areas said shops were reopening as the scale of the fighting dwindled.
Clashes were continuing around the presidential palace as well as the state broadcaster’s HQ and a military base in Khartoum.
The country’s former prime minister Abdalla Hamdok on Saturday urged for both sides to come together for peace talks to stop a full-blown civil war on the scale of the Libya and Syria conflicts.
Ex-Sudanese PM warns conflict risks becoming ‘nightmare for world’
In pictures: Civilians wait at sea port to be evacuated from Sudan to escape the conflict
Sunday 30 April 2023 11:42 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
Red Cross arrives in Sudan
Sunday 30 April 2023 12:25 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
Red Cross aid has arrived in Port Sudan.
This is the first shipment of humanitarian aid to arrive in the war-torn country since clashes exacerbated, killing hundreds of civilians.
ICYM: US conducts 1st evacuation of its citizens from Sudan war
Sunday 30 April 2023 13:00 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
Hundreds of Americans fleeing two weeks of deadly fighting in Sudan reached the east African nation’s port Saturday in the first U.S.-run evacuation, completing a dangerous land journey under escort of armed drones.
American unmanned aircraft, which have been keeping an eye on overland evacuation routes for days, provided armed overwatch for a bus convoy carrying 200 to 300 Americans over 500 miles or 800 kilometers to Port Sudan, a place of relative safety, U.S. officials said.
The U.S., which had none of its officials on the ground for the evacuation, has been criticized by families of trapped Americans in Sudan for initially ruling out any U.S.-run evacuation for those among an estimated 16,000 Americans in Sudan who wish to leave.
US conducts 1st evacuation of its citizens from Sudan war
Countries rush to evacuate foreign citizens from Sudan
Sunday 30 April 2023 13:30 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
The conflict between Sudan‘s army and a paramilitary group called the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has triggered a rush to evacuate foreign diplomats and citizens.
Several countries have taken nationals out by air, while some have gone via Port Sudan on the Red Sea, about 800 km (500 miles) by road from Khartoum. This is the status of some countries’ efforts:
UNITED STATES
U.S. forces evacuated American and some foreign diplomats on April 22.
A convoy organized by the U.S. government arrived at a Sudanese port city on Saturday, evacuating U.S. citizens, local staff and others, a U.S. State Department spokesperson said.
Washington has previously said it was positioning naval assets to assist evacuations if necessary.
BRITAIN
Britain said it has evacuated 1,888 people, mostly British nationals and their dependents, on 21 flights since Tuesday. The government decided the last evacuation flight would leave on Saturday evening, citing a decline in demand from British nationals and continued volatility on the ground.
The government had estimated there were about 4,000 Britons in Sudan. It evacuated its diplomats and their families on April 22.
Cyprus said it had activated a humanitarian rescue mechanism at Britain’s request to let third countries use it for reception and repatriation of foreign citizens evacuated from Sudan. Cyprus is home to two large British military bases.
EGYPT
Egypt has evacuated a total of 6,399 Egyptians, 1,072 of whom were evacuated on Friday. The Egyptian Foreign Ministry said on Thursday some 16,000 people had crossed from Sudan to Egypt, including 14,000 Sudanese citizens.
GERMANY
Germany said on Wednesday it had ended its operation to evacuate people from Sudan, with over 700 people flown out of the country, including around 200 German citizens. Germany’s evacuation mission brought out people from more than 30 countries, including Belgian, British, Dutch, Jordanian and U.S. citizens as well as Germans.
FRANCE
The French government said on Thursday that it had so far evacuated a total of 936 people from Sudan. Those included not only French nationals but also Britons, Americans, Canadians, Ethiopians, Dutch, Italians and Swedes.
The United Nations secretary-general thanked France for its “vital assistance” in transporting 400 U.N. personnel and their dependents out of Sudan.
ITALY
Italian military planes flying from Djibouti evacuated 83 Italians and 13 others, including children and the Italian ambassador. Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said some Italian NGO workers and missionaries had decided to stay in Sudan, while 19 others had been taken to Egypt.
NETHERLANDS
About 100 Dutch nationals have been evacuated from Sudan since April 23, Foreign Minister Wopke Hoekstra said. Half left on four Dutch evacuation flights to Jordan, which also carried about 70 people from 14 other countries.
The Netherlands aims to evacuate a total of around 150 Dutch nationals and has supplied two military planes to the international effort, which are also available for other nationalities.
SWITZERLAND
Switzerland has shut its embassy and evacuated all Swiss staff and their families.
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
The United Arab Emirates evacuated its citizens, other nationalities and humanitarian cases from Sudan by plane on Saturday. Around 128 evacuees, including British and U.S. citizens, landed in the capital Abu Dhabi.
RUSSIA
Russia has not yet announced any evacuation of its embassy or its nationals from Khartoum. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the Russians in Sudan were in close contact with Moscow.
JAPAN
All Japanese people who wished to leave have been evacuated, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said.
INDONESIA
A further 363 Indonesian citizens evacuated from Sudan arrived home on Sunday on a second flight by the country’s flag carrier Garuda Indonesia, the country’s foreign ministry said.
A first group of Indonesian evacuees arrived back in the country on Friday, and a total of 748 citizens have been evacuated from Sudan as of Sunday.
CHINA
China said most Chinese nationals have been safely evacuated in groups to neighbouring countries. The defence ministry deployed naval ships to pick up and evacuate citizens on Wednesday.
The foreign ministry said between Tuesday and Thursday, nearly 800 people were transferred by sea and more than 300 travelled to neighbouring countries by land.
The Chinese consulate-general in Jeddah issued a notice on Wednesday advising citizens who planned to evacuate to Saudi Arabia to enter through the Jeddah Islamic Port.
INDIA
More than 1,200 Indians evacuated from Sudan had arrived in Jeddah in Saudi Arabia as of Thursday, and would soon be repatriated to India, the country’s junior foreign minister V. Muraleedharan said.
CANADA
Canada conducted its first evacuation operation in Sudan on Thursday, airlifting over 100 people, including Canadians and other nationals, on two flights from the war-torn North African country, senior government officials said.
Canada would deploy about 200 troops to coordinate evacuations from war-torn Sudan, Canadian Defence Minister Anita Anand said on Wednesday. About 180 Canadians had already been evacuated with the help of other countries.
There are about 1,800 Canadians in Sudan, out of which about 700 have requested assistance from the foreign ministry, according to the Canadian government.
CHAD
Chad conducted its first evacuation flights from Sudan carrying more than 200 people, including dozens of children, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) said on Friday.
UKRAINE
Ukraine said it had rescued 87 of its citizens - most of them pilots, aircraft technicians and their families - among a total of 138 civilians, who also included citizens of Georgia and Peru.
KENYA
Kenya’s foreign affairs ministry said on Thursday the government had evacuated 342 people who arrived in Jeddah in Saudi Arabia from Port Sudan.
IRAN
Iran’s foreign ministry said on Saturday 65 Iranian citizens had left from Port Sudan, through Jeddah, to Iran.
Emergency aid supplies reach Sudan, as fighting sputters on
Sunday 30 April 2023 14:45 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
An aircraft carrying eight tons of emergency medical aid landed Sunday in Sudan to resupply hospitals devastated by more than two weeks of fighting between forces loyal to rival generals.
The supplies are enough to treat hundreds of wounded, as the civilian death toll from the countrywide violence topped 400. The conflict erupted on April 15 between the nation’s army and its paramilitary force, and threatens to thrust Sudan into a raging civil war.
More than two-thirds of hospitals in areas with active fighting are out of service, a national doctors’ association has said, citing a shortage of medical supplies, health workers, water and electricity.
On Sunday, the aircraft carrying medical aid took off from Jordan and landed in the city of Port Sudan, said the International Committee of the Red Cross.
The supplies, including anesthetics, dressings, sutures and other surgical material, are enough to treat more than 1,000 people wounded in the conflict, the ICRC said.
“The hope is to get this material to some of the most critically busy hospitals in the capital” of Khartoum and other hot spots, said Patrick Youssef, ICRC’s regional director for Africa.
The Sudan Doctors’ Syndicate, which monitors casualties, said Sunday that over the past two weeks, 425 civilians were killed and 2,091 wounded. The Sudanese Health Ministry on Saturday put the overall death toll, including fighters, at 528, with 4,500 wounded.
Some of the deadliest battles have raged across Khartoum. The fighting pits the army chief, Gen. Abdel Fattah Burhan, against Gen. Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo, the head of a paramilitary group known as the Rapid Support Forces.
The generals, both with powerful foreign backers, were allies in an October 2021 military coup that halted Sudan‘s fitful transition to democracy, but they have since turned on each other.
Ordinary Sudanese have been caught in the crossfire. Tens of thousands have fled to neighboring countries, including Chad and Egypt, while others remain pinned down with dwindling supplies. Thousands of foreigners have been evacuated in airlifts and land convoys.
On Sunday, fighting continued in different parts of the capital where residents hiding in their homes reported hearing artillery fire. There have been lulls in fighting, but never a fully observed cease-fire, despite repeated attempts by international mediators.
Over the weekend, residents reported that shops were reopening and normalcy gradually returning in some areas of Khartoum as the scale of fighting dwindled after yet another shaky truce. But in other areas, terrified residents reported explosions thundering around them and fighters ransacking houses.
Youssef, the ICRC official, said the agency has been in contact with the top command of both sides to ensure that medical assistance could reach hospitals safely.
“With this news today, we are really hoping that this becomes part of a steady coordination mechanism to allow other flights to come in,” he said.
Youssef said more medical aid was ready to be flown into Khartoum pending necessary clearances and security guarantees.
209 Irish citizens and dependents evacuated from Sudan in total
Sunday 30 April 2023 15:14 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
A further 89 Irish citizens and their dependents have been evacuated from Sudan, bringing the total Irish evacuees to 209, the Department of Foreign Affairs has said.
The majority of Irish citizens evacuated by air in recent days have been carried on UK flights into Cyprus, the department said.
The UK Government had said its final flight departed from Wadi Saeedna airfield late on Saturday night.
It comes as a ceasefire in the conflict-stricken north African country appeared to falter, with residents reporting heavy explosions and gunfire breaking out again in the capital Khartoum despite the extension of the armistice between the country’s two warring generals.
Hundreds of people have died in the bloody conflict between the Sudanese army and paramilitary group known as the Rapid Support Forces.
Micheal Martin, the Irish deputy premier and Foreign Affairs Minister, said Ireland’s Emergency Civil Assistance Team (Ecat) operation in Cyprus and Djibouti is now to be withdrawn.
The mission, named Operation Piccolo, has involved Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) officials being stationed in the countries with the aim of assisting in the evacuation.
Ireland has also received help from France and Spain to airlift Irish citizens, residents and visa holders to safety.
Members of the Defence Forces’ Special Operations Forces unit and the Army Ranger Wing supported the operation.
“On deployment, the team secured the DFA personnel on the ground, liaised with key actors in the airport and assisted DFA in the processing and evacuation of identified Irish citizens/dependents,” the Defence Forces said in a statement.
“The team were also on standby to provide medical assistance if required.”
Ireland will now maintain an “enhanced multi-location consular presence” for citizens who remain in Sudan - operating from Dublin, Nairobi, Cairo, Amman, Riyadh and Addis Ababa.
The department said embassies remain in close contact with any citizens in Sudan who have requested assistance.
“I wish to thank the ECAT team and all those involved in our consular response,” Mr Martin said.
“Our primary aim has been to offer our citizens every assistance through what has been an extremely difficult and challenging time.
“Our experienced consular teams in Dublin and in the region will continue to actively respond to the needs of our citizens as the situation evolves.
“I would like to thank our EU partners, the UK, Jordan, Norway and Djibouti for their strong cooperation in this challenging mission,” the Tanaiste added.
Citizens have been urged to follow the Embassy of Ireland in Kenya on Twitter (IrlEmbKenya) for updated advice.
In pictures: Saudi nationals are hoisted aboard evacuation vessel
Sunday 30 April 2023 16:00 , Emily Atkinson
Saudi naval and special forces are pictured hoisting evacuees aboard a vessel during a rescue operation from Port Sudan to Jeddah.
Heavy fighting again rocked Sudan’s capital as tens of thousands have fled the bloody turmoil and a former prime minister warned of the “nightmare” risk of a descent into full-scale civil war.
Army forces clashed with paramilitaries in Khartoum as deadly hostilities have entered a third week despite the latest ceasefire, which was formally set to expire at the end of the day.
UK arranges extra evacuation flight
Sunday 30 April 2023 17:00 , Katy Clifton
Britain has arranged an extra evacuation flight from Port Sudan in eastern Sudan which will depart on Monday, the government said on Sunday, adding that it has evacuated 2,122 people so far from the country.
The government confirmed that it was no longer running evacuation flights from Wadi Saeedna airfield, near Khartoum, due to a decline in demand by British nationals, and as the situation on the ground remains volatile.
“Our rescue efforts continue from Port Sudan. We continue to do everything in our power to secure a long-term ceasefire, a stable transition to civilian rule and an to end the violence in Sudan,” foreign minister James Cleverly said in the statement.
Foreign secretary gives thanks
Sunday 30 April 2023 18:00 , William Mata
The foreign secretary has given thanks to those involved in the rescue mission as the UK redirects its focus.
"The UK has now airlifted [more than] 2,100 people to safety from Sudan in what has been the largest and longest evacuation of any Western country,” James Cleverly said.
"I want to thank all of those working to deliver this evacuation and ensure as many people as possible are brought to safety.
"Evacuation flights have ended from Wadi Saeedna but our rescue efforts continue from Port Sudan."
In pictures: Sudan round-up, April 30, 2023
Sunday 30 April 2023 19:00 , William Mata
Full story: UK to continue Sudan rescue operation with flight from Port Sudan
Sunday 30 April 2023 20:00 , William Mata
The UK will run a flight from Port Sudan as it continues its evacuation mission after officially ceasing the operation from an airfield near Khartoum, the Government has said.
Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said rescue efforts, which were previously focused on the Wadi Saeedna site near the Sudanese capital, would be moved to the east of the nation.
Read Nina Lloyd’s full story here.
Central bank ‘engulfed in flames’
Sunday 30 April 2023 21:00 , William Mata
Footage is circulating online of what is said to be the Central Bank of Sudan in Khartoum on fire.
The pictures follow airstrikes as fighting continues between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces.
@sentdefender shared the video on Twitter and it has now been retweeted hundreds of times.
FLASH: Take a look as the Central Bank of Sudan in Khartoum is engulfed in flames following clashes between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces:pic.twitter.com/I1xdV7t6tV
— Steve Hanke (@steve_hanke) April 30, 2023
What is happening in Sudan and why? The war and conflict explained
Sunday 30 April 2023 22:00 , William Mata
Fighting has erupted in Sudan’s capital city Khartoum and across the country this month as powerful rival military factions battle for control of the African nation and its future.
The sudden slide into violence between the Sudanese army and a paramilitary group called Rapid Support Forces (RSF) stranded thousands of foreigners, including diplomats and aid workers in the country, with the UK, US, France, Germany, Italy, Greece, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the Gulf states among those closing embassies and racing to evacuate their nationals.
More than 450 people have been killed in the conflict and another 4,000 wounded so far, according to the World Health Organisation.
Read Joe Sommerlad’s full explainer here.
Round-up: Stories of the day, Sunday, April 30
Sunday 30 April 2023 23:00 , William Mata
Here are some of the headlines from Sunday, April 30 as the attacks in Sudan continue.
UK to continue Sudan rescue operation with flight from Port Sudan
The UK will run a flight from Port Sudan as it continues its evacuation mission after officially ceasing the operation from an airfield near Khartoum, the Government has said.
Emergency aid supplies reach Sudan, as fighting sputters on
An aircraft carrying eight tons of emergency medical supplies has landed in Sudan to help hospitals devastated by more than two weeks of fighting between forces loyal to rival generals.
Watch: Sudan evacuees arrive in Jeddah after fleeing conflict
More evacuees from Sudan are expected to arrive in Jeddah, after fleeing the conflict before the country’s ceasefire ends.
Canada ends Sudan evacuation flights amid dangerous conditions
Monday 1 May 2023 00:00 , William Mata
Canada has ended its operation evacuating people from the Wadi Seidna airfield, near Khartoum, in Sudan due to the dangerous and volatile conditions on the ground, Defence Minister Anita Anand said on Sunday.
"Because of the dangerous conditions, and in concert with decisions made by our allies, no further Canadian flights are planned from the Wadi Seidna airfield," Anand told a news conference.
Sudan's rival military forces accused each other of fresh violations of a ceasefire that is set to expire on Sunday as their deadly conflict continued for a third week despite warnings of a slide towards catastrophic civil war.
There remain in Sudan roughly 230 Canadian affected persons seeking assistance and information through Global Affairs Canada, Anand said.
Official: 148 Somalis evacuated from Sudan via Ethiopia
01:00 , William Mata
Scores of Somalis fleeing violence in Sudan arrived in their Horn of Africa nation on Sunday, an official said.
Some 148 Somali nationals, mostly students, arrived by plane in the capital Mogadishu, said Abdurahman Nur Mohamed Diinaari, a top official with the Somali foreign ministry.
Read Omar Faruk’s full story here.
Sides accuse each other of fresh violations of a ceasefire
02:00 , William Mata
Sudan's rival military forces accused each other of fresh violations of a ceasefire on Sunday as their deadly conflict rumbled on for a third week despite warnings of a slide towards civil war.
Hundreds of people have been killed and thousands wounded since a long-simmering power struggle between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) erupted into conflict on April 15.
Both sides said a formal ceasefire agreement which was due to expire at midnight would be extended for a further 72 hours, in a move the RSF said was "in response to international, regional and local calls".
The army said it hoped what it called the "rebels" would abide by the deal but it believed they had intended to keep up attacks. The parties have kept fighting through a series of ceasefires secured by mediators including the United States.
Ceasefire to continue for further 72 hours, both sides agree
03:00 , William Mata
Sudan's army and its rival paramilitary said on Sunday they will extend a humanitarian ceasefire a further 72 hours.
The decision follows international pressure to allow the safe passage of civilians and aid but the shaky truce has not so far stopped the clashes.
In statements, both sides accused the other of violations. The agreement has deescalated the fighting in some areas but violence continues to push civilians to flee.
Aid groups have also struggled to get badly needed supplies into the country.
The conflict erupted on April 15 between the nation's army and its paramilitary force, and threatens to thrust Sudan into a raging civil war.
Earlier on Sunday, an aircraft carrying eight tons of emergency medical aid landed in Sudan to resupply hospitals devastated by the fighting, according to the International Committee of the Red Cross, which organised the shipment.
Fighting escalates in Sudan despite extended ceasefire as thousands more flee
04:00 , William Mata
Fighting has intensified in Sudan despite an extended truce between the country’s two warring generals, with the civilian death toll rising and thousands more fleeing the war zone on Sunday.
The Sudanese army said on Sunday that it had agreed a ceasefire with the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) would be extended a further 72 hours from when the current ceasefire ends at midnight.
But hopes the ceasefire could have stopped attacks have been dashed in recent days, with gunfire and airstrikes escalating on the streets of the capital Khartoum despite the agreed truce. Airstrikes also hit its neighbouring city Omdurman.
Read William Mata’s full round-up here.
Today’s front page
05:00 , William Mata
Sudan makes the front page of the Independent on bank holiday Monday.
You can see the newspaper here.
UK Gov: More than 2,100 now rescued
06:00 , William Mata
The UK has evacuated more than 2,100 people from Sudan thanks to the efforts of UK Government staff and the military who have been working around the clock on the evacuation, the foreign office has said in a tweet.
Foreign secretary James Cleverly tweeted: “I’m proud that the UK led the largest and longest evacuation effort of any Western nation.
“We continue to push for a long-term ceasefire and a stable transition to civilian rule.”
The UK has evacuated more than 2,100 people from Sudan thanks to the efforts of UK Government staff and the military who have been working around the clock on the evacuation. pic.twitter.com/wAMUXGdSiS
— Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (@FCDOGovUK) April 30, 2023
Fighting escalates in Sudan despite extended ceasefire
06:30 , Namita Singh
Fighting has intensified in Sudan despite an extended truce between the country’s two warring generals, with the civilian death toll rising and thousands more fleeing the war zone on Sunday.
The Sudanese army said on Sunday that it had agreed that a ceasefire with the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) would be extended a further 72 hours from when the current ceasefire ends at midnight local time.
But hopes the ceasefire could have stopped attacks have been dashed in recent days, with gunfire and airstrikes escalating on the streets of the capital Khartoum. Airstrikes also hit its neighbouring city Omdurman.
My colleague William Mata reports:
Fighting escalates in Sudan despite extended ceasefire as thousands more flee
Britons have until midday to reach port Sudan as UK relocates evacuation efforts
07:00 , Namita Singh
British nationals trying to flee Sudan have until noon to reach an airport to be processed for an additional UK flight out of the conflict zone as rescue efforts shift to the east of the country.
Members of the military are working round the clock to assist UK citizens and others trying to escape the war-torn nation amid an uneasy ceasefire, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) said.
Some 2,122 people on 23 flights have been evacuated from the Wadi Saeedna airfield near Khartoum but more than 1,000 British passport holders may remain.
More in this report:
Britons have until midday to reach Port Sudan as UK relocates evacuation efforts
Sudan could be ‘worse than Ukraine’, says a UN leader
07:29 , Tara Cobham
The conflict in Sudan could be “worse than Ukraine” for civilians, according to Amina Mohammed, deputy secretary-general of the UN.
There have been threats of mass casualties and reports of civilians being used as human shields in the capital Khartoum, the epicentre of the fighting.
Referring to the generals of Sudan’s army and its rival paramilitary group, Mohammed told the Financial Times: “They’ve gone Awol and there’s no return to a status quo.”
She added: “We have to pull whatever strings we can to stop them fighting.”
British nationals race against the clock to reach evacuation flight
08:06 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
British nationals trying to flee Sudan have until noon to reach an airport to be processed for an additional UK flight out of the conflict zone as rescue efforts shift to the east of the country.
Members of the military are working round the clock to assist UK citizens and others trying to escape the war-torn nation amid an uneasy ceasefire, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) said.
Some 2,122 people on 23 flights have been evacuated from the Wadi Saeedna airfield near Khartoum but more than 1,000 British passport holders may remain.
The Government announced on Friday it was ceasing operations from the site on Saturday as an armistice between the country’s warring generals appeared to start breaking down.
UK citizens are now being advised to travel to Port Sudan where an extra flight will take off on Monday, the FCDO said, as warring factions agreed to extend the fragile ceasefire for a further 72 hours.
In order to be processed for the journey, people are being urged to arrived at the city’s international airport before midday local time.
It is understood the flight from Port Sudan is exceptional and would repatriate a limited number of British nationals left in the country who wish to leave.
Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said: “Evacuation flights have ended from Wadi Saeedna but our rescue efforts continue from Port Sudan.”
The armed forces and border force staff have been supporting the FCDO with the evacuation mission, with HMS Lancaster and the RAF redirected to the area.
The UK will continue to advocate for a long-term end to the conflict along with its international allies, Mr Cleverly said.
UN warms of a humanitarian ‘breaking point’ in Sudan
09:00 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
Fighting could be heard in Khartoum early on Monday as the United Nations warned of a humanitarian “breaking point”, with rival military forces accusing each other of fresh violations of a ceasefire as their devastating conflict enters a third week.
Hundreds of people have been killed and thousands wounded since a long-simmering power struggle between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) erupted into conflict on April 15.
Violence has rocked the capital Khartoum and risks reawakening war in the vast Western region of Darfur scarred by a two-decade old conflict, despite numerous ceasefire pledges.
Together, the army and RSF toppled a civilian government in an October 2021 coup but are now locked in a power struggle that has derailed an internationally backed transition to democracy and is threatening to destabilise a fragile region.
Both sides said a formal ceasefire agreement which was due to expire at midnight would be extended for a further 72 hours, in a move the RSF said was “in response to international, regional and local calls”.
The army said it hoped what it called the “rebels” would abide by the deal but it believed they had intended to keep up attacks.
Over 500 killed as conflict enters third week
10:00 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
At least 528 people have been killed and 4,599 wounded, the health ministry said. The United Nations has reported a similar number of dead but believes the real toll is much higher.
Many fear for their lives as Sudan‘s two most powerful men prosecute war in a country that has faced civil wars, coups and economic hardship for decades.
“I have to keep working, especially in these circumstances. Everything is more expensive,” said Abdelbagi, a barber in Khartoum. “I show up to work for two or three hours then I close up because it’s not safe.”
The fighting has pitched Sudan towards a civil war, derailing an internationally-backed transition aimed at establishing a democratic government and sending tens of thousands of people fleeing into neighbouring countries.
It has also deepened the humanitarian crisis in Sudan, where a third of the people were dependent on some form of humanitarian assistance before the fighting erupted, said Martin Griffiths, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator at the United Nations.
“The scale and speed of what is unfolding in Sudan is unprecedented. We are extremely concerned by the immediate as well as long-term impact on all people in Sudan and the broader region,” he said.
Victoria, one of the tea sellers that used to dot Khartoum’s streets before the fighting began, said her children are struggling to understand what is happening.
“So I risk my life to try to work and if God helps me I’ll get them some food and if he doesn’t I’ll keep trying. But just sitting useless doesn’t help and being scared doesn’t help,” she said.
Army leader General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan has said he would never sit down with RSF chief General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, also known as Hemedti, who in turn said he would talk only after the army ceased hostilities.
In Khartoum, the army has been battling RSF forces entrenched in residential areas. Fighting has so far seen the more agile RSF forces fan out across the city as the better equipped army tries to target them largely by using air strikes from drones and fighter jets.
The conflict has sent tens of thousands of people fleeing across Sudan‘s borders and prompted warnings the country could disintegrate, destabilising a volatile region and prompting foreign governments to scramble to evacuate their nationals.
Why is the UK evacuating people from Sudan?
10:33 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
Thousands of British nationals have fled Sudan as violence sweeps the country, killing hundreds of civilians.
On 25 April, the first UK government evacuation flight rescued Britons trapped in the capital, Khartoum after a 72-hour ceasefire between warring factions was negotiated.
The government announced final flights for evacuees would leave on Saturday evening after fears that the armistice between the two rival generals was wearing down.
However, an additional flight was made available on bank holiday Monday for Britons desperate to flee the country.
British nationals were given until noon to reach an airport in Port Sudan to be processed for the extra flight out of the conflict zone as rescue efforts shift to the east of the country.
Here is a look at what we know about the evacuation plans, so far.
All you need to know about UK evacuating people stuck in Sudan during deadly crisis
World Food Programme lifts suspension of operations in Sudan
11:00 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
The United Nations’ World Food Programme said on Monday it will immediately lift the suspension of its operations in Sudan that was put in place after the tragic deaths of its team member.
“WFP is rapidly resuming our programs to provide the life-saving assistance that many so desperately need right now,” WFP executive director Cindy McCain wrote on Twitter.
The WFP said on April 16 it had temporarily halted all operations in Sudan after three of its employees were killed in clashes between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) a day earlier.
ICYM: Ex-Sudanese PM warns conflict risks becoming ‘nightmare for world’ as civilian death toll hits 411
12:00 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
In case you missed it...
Sudan’s former prime minister Abdalla Hamdok on Saturday urged for both sides to come together for peace talks to stop a full-blown civil war on the scale of the Libya and Syria conflicts.
He said in a press conference in the Kenyan capital Nairobi: “This is not a war between an army and a small rebellion. It is almost like two armies – well trained and well armed.
“God forbid if Sudan is to reach a proper civil war ... it is a huge country and very diverse ... it would be a nightmare for the world.”
Ex-Sudanese PM warns conflict risks becoming ‘nightmare for world’
What is happening in Sudan and why? The war and conflict explained
13:00 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
Tension had been building for months between Sudan’s army and the RSF, which together toppled a civilian government in an October 2021 coup.
The friction was brought to a head by an internationally-backed plan to launch a new transition with civilian parties. A final deal was due to be signed earlier in April, on the fourth anniversary of the overthrow of long-ruling autocrat Omar al-Bashir in a popular uprising.
Both the army and the RSF were required to cede power under the plan and two issues proved particularly contentious: one was the timetable for the RSF to be integrated into the regular armed forces, the second was when the army would be formally placed under civilian oversight.
When fighting broke out on 15 April, both sides blamed the other for provoking the violence. The army accused the RSF of illegal mobilisation in preceding days and the RSF, as it moved on key strategic sites in Khartoum, said the army had tried to seize full power in a plot with Bashir loyalists.
Joe Sommerlad reports:
What is happening in Sudan? The crisis explained
In pictures: British nationals evacuate Sudan over the weekend
14:41 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
Pictures show evacuees and military personnel at Wadi Seidna airport in Khartoum, Sudan boarding an RAF aircraft bound for Cyprus on Saturday.
Members of the military are working round the clock to assist UK citizens and others trying to escape the war-torn nation amid an uneasy ceasefire, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has said.
UN: 73,000 people fleeing Sudan war enter neighbouring countries
14:47 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
A UN refugee official has said 73,000 people have so far entered neighbouring countries from Sudan.
It comes as the UN humanitarian coordinator in Sudan warned that the humanitarian crisis in the country was turning into a “full flown catastrophe” and that the risk of spillover into neighbouring countries was worrisome.
“It has been more than two weeks of devastating fighting in Sudan, a conflict that is turning Sudan humanitarian crisis into a full blown catastrophe,” Abdou Dieng, Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in the country, told a briefing of member states via video link.
Dieng added that civilians were taking refuge in parts of Sudan less affected by fighting or fleeing to neighbouring countries. “The regional spillover effect of the crisis is a serious concern,” he said.
Deadline passes for final evacuation flight leaving Sudan
15:40 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
The deadline has passed for British nationals to arrive at Port Sudan for what is being billed as the last evacuation flight to leave the country as a fragile ceasefire holds.
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) had given those looking to flee the war-torn nation until 11am UK time - midday in Sudan - to reach the departure site on the eastern coast.
Officials at the Foreign Office would not confirm what time the flight was due to take off, but flight tracking websites showed a Royal Air Force (RAF) Airbus A400M Atlas plane as having landed at Port Sudan at about 3pm on Monday.
The UK Government said it was “exceptionally” offering one final flight following a series of repatriation departures out of Sudan last week.
It is understood the flight will airlift a limited number of British nationals left in the country - which has been rocked by fighting that is pushing Sudan into a humanitarian crisis - who wish to leave.
Those who wanted to be on the aircraft were instructed to arrive at the Coral Hotel by the midday deadline.
The offer came after the warring factions agreed to extend a fragile ceasefire for a further 72 hours.
The last UK evacuation flight from Wadi Saeedna airfield in Khartoum departed at 9pm on Saturday, with Port Sudan - around 530 miles from the capital - the location for the final British departure.
Saudi-Iran rapprochement visible in Sudan evacuation effort
16:30 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
The growing rapprochement between Riyadh and Tehran after years of mistrust was visible on Monday as Saudi Arabia helped evacuate Iranian citizens fleeing the war in Sudan.
The Saudi navy carried the 65 Iranian citizens from Port Sudan to Jeddah and they will fly onwards to Tehran.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Nasser Kanaani called the transfer “a positive event” that had taken place thanks to Saudi-Iranian cooperation.
Ahmed al-Dabais, a senior Saudi military officer handling the operation, told Iranian evacuees that the two countries were good friends and brothers and they should regard the kingdom as their own country, in a video carried by local television.
Saudi Arabia, across the Red Sea from Sudan, has been a major hub for the evacuation effort as countries have worked to pull thousands of foreign citizens out of the conflict that suddenly erupted on April 15.
Revolutionary Shi’ite Muslim Iran and conservative, Sunni Saudi Arabia had feuded for years, backing opposing sides in wars and political struggles across the Middle East in a tussle for influence that fed conflicts and inflamed sectarian hatred.
Saudi Arabia cut off diplomatic relations in 2016 after Iranian protesters stormed the kingdom’s Tehran embassy following Riyadh’s execution of a Shi’ite Muslim cleric.
However, the two major oil producers agreed to end their rift and reopen diplomatic missions in a deal brokered in March by China.
‘It was like doomsday,’ says Gaza woman after fleeing Sudan
17:30 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
When bridges closed in her area of Sudan‘s capital Khartoum, Palestinian medical student Nour Kullab thought it was just another protest
Before she could grasp what was happening, electricity and water were cut off amid the din of gunfire and rockets, Kullab told Reuters at her family house in Khan Younis in the Gaza Strip four days after returning
“I got out of my home, there were no rickshaws, only cars and no one stopped for me, the industrial zone was on fire, and shops were closed. I felt horror as if it was doomsday,” Kullab, 25, said.
“When you see bodies scattered right and left, dismembered people, torched banks, you feel it is totally unsafe,” she said.
Hundreds of people have been killed since a power struggle between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) erupted into conflict on April 15.
On Monday, the Palestinian foreign ministry said it had concluded the evacuation of Palestinians in Sudan with the collaboration of Egypt, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia.
Gaza has gone through numerous wars between Israel and Palestinian factions and suffered its own bout of civil conflict. An Israeli-led blockade has restricted the movement of people and goods for years.
“It was worse than a war in Gaza,” said Kullab, who spent days without bread or clean water after she quit her house to live with a Sudanese friend.
Shops were closed as looting spread.
“There was a guy who sold water in tankers, salty water, from the sea, from the river, what is important that it was water. We could see through some algae but we used to boil it and drink, only to become more thirsty after,” said Kullab.
Kullab arrived in Sudan in 2015 to study medicine. Her studies were interrupted by civil conflict and the pandemic. When this war broke out she was days away from graduating. She had only a few exams to do.
“I felt my future was taken away against my will, everything has gone in vain,” she said.
On Friday, her family welcomed her at the crossing with Egypt with tears, not with celebrations as they had planned for later in May when she would have finished her studies.
“Happy conditions became sad,” said Kullab’s mother Ruwaida.
More than 800,000 may flee Sudan violence, UN predicts
18:30 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
More than 800,000 people may flee Sudan as a result of fighting between military factions, including many who had already come there as refugees, a U.N. official said on Monday.
“Without a quick resolution of this crisis we will continue to see more people forced to flee in search of safety and basic assistance,” Raouf Mazou told a member state briefing in Geneva.
“In consultation with all concerned governments and partners we’ve arrived at a planning figure of 815,000 people that may flee into the seven neighbouring countries.”
The estimate includes around 580,000 Sudanese, he said, with the others existing refugees from South Sudan and elsewhere.
So far, he said some 73,000 people have already fled to Sudan‘s neighbours - South Sudan, Chad, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Central African Republic and Libya.
U.N. aid chief Martin Griffiths will visit Sudan on Tuesday, said Ramesh Rajasingham of the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.
Griffiths was in Nairobi, Kenya, on Monday to discuss the situation in Sudan, which he described as “catastrophic.”
“We need to find ways to get aid into the country and distribute it to those in need,” Griffiths wrote on Twitter.
In separate comments, the United Nations humanitarian coordinator in Sudan said the humanitarian crisis was turning into a “full blown catastrophe” and that the risk of spillover into neighbouring countries was worrying.
“It has been more than two weeks of devastating fighting in Sudan, a conflict that is turning Sudan humanitarian crisis into a full blown catastrophe,” Abdou Dieng told member states via video link.
Why is the UK evacuating people from Sudan?
19:30 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
Thousands of British nationals have fled Sudan as violence sweeps the country, killing hundreds of civilians.
On 25 April, the first UK government evacuation flight rescued Britons trapped in the capital, Khartoum after a 72-hour ceasefire between warring factions was negotiated.
The government announced final flights for evacuees would leave on Saturday evening after fears that the armistice between the two rival generals was wearing down.
All you need to know about UK evacuating people stuck in Sudan during deadly crisis
What is happening in Sudan and why? The war and conflict explained
20:30 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
Tension had been building for months between Sudan’s army and the RSF, which together toppled a civilian government in an October 2021 coup.
The friction was brought to a head by an internationally-backed plan to launch a new transition with civilian parties. A final deal was due to be signed earlier in April, on the fourth anniversary of the overthrow of long-ruling autocrat Omar al-Bashir in a popular uprising.
Both the army and the RSF were required to cede power under the plan and two issues proved particularly contentious: one was the timetable for the RSF to be integrated into the regular armed forces, the second was when the army would be formally placed under civilian oversight.
Joe Sommerlad reports:
What is happening in Sudan? The crisis explained
Final evacuation flight for British nationls leaves Sudan
21:33 , Joe Middleton
Final evacuation flights for Britons leave Sudan as UN warns 800,000 may flee country
22:03 , Joe Middleton
We’re pausing our live coverage of Sudan this evening. See the latest on the situation below:
The final evacuation flight bringing Britons out of Sudan left the country on Monday evening as fighting continued to rage between warring factions.
British nationals were told by the Foreign Office that those looking to flee the war-torn nation had until 11am UK time - midday local time - to reach the city Port Sudan, on the eastern coast to be given the chance to board the last two flights.
The Foreign Office would not confirm if the flights had left the coastal city on Monday afternoon but flight tracking websites showed a Hercules plane left the airport at 18.43 local time and an Airbus Atlas aircraft was due to depart the country hours later at 22.10 local time.
Final evacuation flights for Britons leave Sudan as UN warns 800,000 may flee country
