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Sudan violence: UK help for Britons stuck in Sudan 'severely limited' Sudan violence: UK insists contact continues with trapped Britons
(about 4 hours later)
These buildings were damaged in the southern part of Khartoum during the escalating violenceThese buildings were damaged in the southern part of Khartoum during the escalating violence
UK help for Britons stuck in Sudan will remain "severely limited" until a ceasefire is reached, Foreign Secretary James Cleverly has warned. The government insists it is in touch with Britons still stuck in Sudan after an evacuation operation only rescued diplomats and their families.
He said British diplomats and their families had been evacuated from Sudan in a "complex and rapid" operation. Minister Andrew Mitchell said 2,000 UK nationals had registered for help, but there could be up to 4,000 in Sudan.
However, some British nationals still in the country have said they feel abandoned by the UK government. The British diplomats, flown out on Sunday, had been in a terrible position surrounded by fighting, he added.
Violence in Sudan between two opposing forces has seen deadly shooting and shelling in the capital, Khartoum.Violence in Sudan between two opposing forces has seen deadly shooting and shelling in the capital, Khartoum.
Mr Cleverly said there were "specific threats and violence directed towards diplomats" which led to the decision to evacuate staff. Foreign Secretary James Cleverly has warned help for Britons will remain "limited" until a ceasefire is reached - as some said they felt abandoned by the UK government.
He said the UK government remained "absolutely committed to supporting" Britons in Sudan but added that without an end to the fighting, ministers were "severely limited in our ability to provide assistance to British nationals". Alicia Kearns, conservative MP and chair of the foreign affairs select committee, said the lack of contact with British nationals in Sudan "would suggest that no lessons have been learnt since Afghanistan".
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak also said work was continuing to ensure the safety of Britons who remained in the country.
The power struggle that erupted last week between Sudan's regular army and a paramilitary force called the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has also affected other parts of the country, leading to a growing humanitarian crisis.The power struggle that erupted last week between Sudan's regular army and a paramilitary force called the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has also affected other parts of the country, leading to a growing humanitarian crisis.
Electricity is scarce, and food and water supplies are running out for many.Electricity is scarce, and food and water supplies are running out for many.
MAPS: Khartoum violence mapped as civilians fleeMAPS: Khartoum violence mapped as civilians flee
UNSUNG HEROES: How food and medicines are being deliveredUNSUNG HEROES: How food and medicines are being delivered
SIMPLE GUIDE: What is going on in Sudan?SIMPLE GUIDE: What is going on in Sudan?
Sam, a British businessman living in Sudan, told the BBC that news of the UK evacuation at the weekend "gave us hope, but in the absence of any information from the government this was clearly a solution for diplomats only".Sam, a British businessman living in Sudan, told the BBC that news of the UK evacuation at the weekend "gave us hope, but in the absence of any information from the government this was clearly a solution for diplomats only".
He described the situation as a "nightmare for those of us left behind", and said he knew of many people from other countries such as Hungary and South Africa whose embassies were making plans to evacuate nationals.He described the situation as a "nightmare for those of us left behind", and said he knew of many people from other countries such as Hungary and South Africa whose embassies were making plans to evacuate nationals.
'A dicey situation' Speaking to the BBC, Mr Mitchell said British Embassy staff had been between the lines of fighting and in "very great danger" - with one official held at gun point.
Another UK citizen in Sudan, William, described a chaotic situation as he opted to leave Khartoum on a bus - organised by his Sudanese employer - to take him and other nationals to Egypt. Over the weekend, the prime minister confirmed that British diplomats and their families had been evacuated in a "complex and rapid" operation.
Speaking to the BBC's Newshour programme, he said the UK government had given him "nothing" in terms of support, adding: "We had to basically go private, we've had absolutely nothing but nonsense from the government and not even nonsense. We've had nothing. It is understood that UK special troops landed in Khartoum with a United States evacuation team on Saturday.
"The internet's just gone out, so we've been on 3G all day. And we were all running out of data. And so communication was becoming increasingly difficult." Military vehicles were then used to collect UK embassy staff and their families, before they were airlifted to Cyprus on Sunday morning in a convoy of RAF aircraft.
The government has a "specific duty of care" to diplomats evacuated from Sudan, Mr Mitchell told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.
He also said a civilian evacuation had not possible on Sunday, but "we are exploring every possible opportunity to get our citizens out".
The minister called for a ceasefire in Sudan, and urged Britons to follow government advice to "stay indoors".
Watch: Sudan evacuation - I've had no help from the government
Watch: Sudan evacuation - I've had no help from the government
UK citizens in Sudan are being asked to tell the Foreign Office where they are in case more help becomes available, and a hotline has been set up for those who need urgent help.
Mr Mitchell said about 2,000 people had registered for assistance with the foreign office, with the figure rising over the last two days.
He insisted that electronic messages from the foreign office emergency team were being sent every day, but explained they might not always arrive.
Defence Secretary Ben Wallace told BBC News the British army, Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force had been involved in the weekend rescue, with C-130 Hercules and Airbus A400M transport aircraft used.
'Dicey situation'
Another UK citizen in Sudan, William, described a chaotic situation as he opted to leave Khartoum on a bus organised by his Sudanese employer, to take him and other nationals to Egypt.
Speaking to the BBC's Newshour programme, he said the UK government had given him "nothing" in terms of support, adding: "We had to basically go private, we've had absolutely nothing but nonsense from the government, and not even nonsense. We've had nothing."
William described waiting to be collected by the bus as a "dicey situation" with "gunfire going off all the time".William described waiting to be collected by the bus as a "dicey situation" with "gunfire going off all the time".
"We're making quite slow progress but steady progress. So the idea is we continue going for the next two days, up to the Egyptian border, and then we're sort of safe."
Watch: British diplomats evacuated after specific threats in Sudan - UK Foreign SecretaryWatch: British diplomats evacuated after specific threats in Sudan - UK Foreign Secretary
Watch: British diplomats evacuated after specific threats in Sudan - UK Foreign SecretaryWatch: British diplomats evacuated after specific threats in Sudan - UK Foreign Secretary
Ms Kearns said evacuations were proving enormously difficult "but we have to get our people out".
Asked on the Today programme about a person who claimed they had only received two text messages from the government, Ms Kearns said: "So that would suggest that no lessons have been learned since Afghanistan, and I have urged the government to make sure they are communicating regularly with British nationals."
However, Downing Street said "significant lessons" had been learned from the evacuation of Afghanistan in the face of the Taliban's takeover.
The prime minister's spokesperson said the government would "pull every leaver possible" to help Britons in Sudan and to bring about a ceasefire.
Mr Sunak and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi agreed on Sunday that the UK and Egypt would work with international partners on diplomatic efforts to secure a ceasefire.Mr Sunak and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi agreed on Sunday that the UK and Egypt would work with international partners on diplomatic efforts to secure a ceasefire.
Conservative MP Tobias Ellwood, chair of the Commons defence select committee, said the prime minister should now focus on "phase two" of evacuations to ensure all British passport holders who want to leave the country can be extracted. A further Cobra meeting - an emergency response committee made up of ministers, civil servants and others - to discuss Sudan's "escalation" of violence, is expected later.
Mr Ellwood said he did not know how many British passport holders there were in Sudan, but told BBC News he understood more than 1,000 people had registered with the Foreign Office and there were "easily a couple more thousand" who had not yet come forward. Several other countries including the US, France, Germany, Italy and Spain have been evacuating their diplomats and citizens.
Asked about criticisms that the UK had not acted quickly enough to evacuate British diplomats and their families, Mr Ellwood said more than 1,000 military personnel had been mobilised at very short notice.
Defence Secretary Ben Wallace told BBC News the British army, Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force had been involved in the weekend rescue, with C-130 Hercules and Airbus A400M transport aircraft used.
Alicia Kearns, conservative MP and chair of the foreign affairs select committee, said she expected there were "well over a thousand" British nationals who wanted to be evacuated from Sudan.
She urged the government to communicate regularly with those people and said the limited amount of contact so far "would suggest that no lessons have been learnt since Afghanistan".
However, she told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that getting British nationals out of Sudan was proving "enormously difficult".
On Sunday, Mr Cleverly chaired a sixth Cobra session - an emergency response committee made up of ministers, civil servants and others - to discuss Sudan's "escalation" of violence.
UK citizens in Sudan are being urged to tell the Foreign Office where they are in case more help becomes available, and a hotline has been set up for those who need urgent help.
Several other countries including France, Germany, Italy and Spain have been evacuating their diplomats and citizens.
US authorities said they had airlifted fewer than 100 people with three Chinook helicopters on Sunday in a "fast and clean" operation.
The US embassy in Khartoum is now closed, and a tweet on its official feed says it is not safe enough for the government to evacuate private US citizens.
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