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RAF plane lands in Sudan as UK assesses options for further evacuations RAF plane lands in Sudan as UK assesses options for further evacuations
(about 1 hour later)
Armed forces minister says ‘job isn’t done’ in evacuating as many as 4,000 Britons and dual nationals trapped in war zoneArmed forces minister says ‘job isn’t done’ in evacuating as many as 4,000 Britons and dual nationals trapped in war zone
The British military is assessing a highly fraught operation to rescue some of the thousands of British nationals stranded in Sudan after the Foreign Office was deluged by cross-party criticism for missing a window of opportunity on Sunday to evacuate more than just British diplomats and their families.The British military is assessing a highly fraught operation to rescue some of the thousands of British nationals stranded in Sudan after the Foreign Office was deluged by cross-party criticism for missing a window of opportunity on Sunday to evacuate more than just British diplomats and their families.
An RAF plane has landed at Port Sudan in the north-east of the country with some troops to look at the option of taking nationals who have attempted to drive – some in UN-protected convoys – from Khartoum and elsewhere. The landing ship RFA Cardigan Bay and the frigate HMS Lancaster are also being lined up as options to help people out of the war-torn country as the UK desperately considers its restricted options.An RAF plane has landed at Port Sudan in the north-east of the country with some troops to look at the option of taking nationals who have attempted to drive – some in UN-protected convoys – from Khartoum and elsewhere. The landing ship RFA Cardigan Bay and the frigate HMS Lancaster are also being lined up as options to help people out of the war-torn country as the UK desperately considers its restricted options.
There are an estimated 4,000 British nationals and dual nationals in Sudan. One British national trapped in their home told the Guardian they were not receiving any messages from the Foreign Office, describing the evacuation operation as “a shitshow”.There are an estimated 4,000 British nationals and dual nationals in Sudan. One British national trapped in their home told the Guardian they were not receiving any messages from the Foreign Office, describing the evacuation operation as “a shitshow”.
France has airlifted 491 people from 36 countries, including 12 EU nations, to Djibouti since Sunday, according to the foreign ministry. They included two Greeks and one Belgian who had been wounded, as well as the German and Swiss ambassadors, it said.France has airlifted 491 people from 36 countries, including 12 EU nations, to Djibouti since Sunday, according to the foreign ministry. They included two Greeks and one Belgian who had been wounded, as well as the German and Swiss ambassadors, it said.
James Heappey, the minister for the armed forces, said in a briefing that the UK recognised “the job isn’t done” when it came to rescuing the 4,000 or more British and dual nationals trapped in Sudan. The development minister, Andrew Mitchell, under pressure from his own backbenchers in the Commons, also insisted that all options were being considered, adding that the UK was not following the US policy of rescuing only its diplomatic staff. Two Italian military planes landed in Rome carrying 83 Italian nationals and 13 citizens of different nationalities, who had first been evacuated to Djibouti.
Mitchell also said the UK government’s advice to nationals had changed from “stay at home” to asking them to exercise their own judgment on whether to flee – but those who do so will be acting at their own risk. James Heappey, the minister for the armed forces, said in a briefing that the UK recognised “the job isn’t done” when it came to rescuing the 4,000 or more British and dual nationals trapped in Sudan.
He did not deny that the UK ambassador, Giles Lever, and his wife, the deputy ambassador, had both been out of the county since 14 April. He insisted the development director had been in post, and that the UK, as the pen-holder for Sudan at the UN, had not been caught flatfooted by the speed with which the crisis had escalated. A minister who attended the government’s Cobra meeting on Monday evening said there is “no current plan” for evacuation of British citizens from Sudan.
Andrew Mitchell MP told Channel 4 News: “The Foreign Office’s messaging has been absolutely consistent throughout. We have said that there is no current plan for evacuation and we are working on finding a plan.”
Mitchell, under pressure from his own backbenchers in the Commons earlier in the day, added that the UK was not following the US policy of rescuing only its diplomatic staff.
The minister for development and Africa said the UK government’s advice to nationals had changed from “stay at home” to asking them to exercise their own judgment on whether to flee – but those who do so will be acting at their own risk.
Mitchell did not deny that the UK ambassador, Giles Lever, and his wife, the deputy ambassador, had both been out of the county since 14 April. He insisted the development director had been in post, and that the UK, as the pen-holder for Sudan at the UN, had not been caught flatfooted by the speed with which the crisis had escalated.
There were also reports that even during the period the UK was advising residents to shelter in their homes, UK diplomatic staff were attaching themselves to UN convoys leaving Khartoum, ignoring the official advice from their own employers.There were also reports that even during the period the UK was advising residents to shelter in their homes, UK diplomatic staff were attaching themselves to UN convoys leaving Khartoum, ignoring the official advice from their own employers.
The violence in Sudan has pitted army units loyal to its military ruler, Gen Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, against the Rapid Support Forces, led by Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, known as Hemedti. Battles have been raging in Khartoum and its twin city of Omdurman, and a series of ceasefires have failed to hold.The violence in Sudan has pitted army units loyal to its military ruler, Gen Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, against the Rapid Support Forces, led by Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, known as Hemedti. Battles have been raging in Khartoum and its twin city of Omdurman, and a series of ceasefires have failed to hold.
In the Commons, Mitchell was repeatedly challenged to explain how other countries had evacuated their nationals, and whether the UK had wasted a window of opportunity to extract large numbers on Sunday, during a brief lull in the fighting.In the Commons, Mitchell was repeatedly challenged to explain how other countries had evacuated their nationals, and whether the UK had wasted a window of opportunity to extract large numbers on Sunday, during a brief lull in the fighting.
The French foreign ministry had reported that after meetings between emissaries of the two warring camps in Abu Dhabi, calls from around the world and strong advice from Saudi diplomacy and the presidency of South Sudan, the two rivals left a brief space on Sunday to allow the various evacuation plans to be put in place. It is not clear whether a second pause can be negotiated.The French foreign ministry had reported that after meetings between emissaries of the two warring camps in Abu Dhabi, calls from around the world and strong advice from Saudi diplomacy and the presidency of South Sudan, the two rivals left a brief space on Sunday to allow the various evacuation plans to be put in place. It is not clear whether a second pause can be negotiated.
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The Foreign Office points out is that it is dealing with a larger number of nationals than most other countries, and in the case of France, one special forces soldier was shot and is gravely ill.The Foreign Office points out is that it is dealing with a larger number of nationals than most other countries, and in the case of France, one special forces soldier was shot and is gravely ill.
But Alicia Kearns, the Conservative chair of the foreign affairs select committee, said time was running out, while Labour warned that the UK’s handling of the crisis suggested the Foreign Office had learned nothing from the Afghanistan fiasco. A succession of MPs raised cases of stranded constituents who had heard nothing from the UK government. There are 400 UK nationals and 4,000 dual nationals in Sudan. But Alicia Kearns, the Conservative chair of the foreign affairs select committee, said time was running out, while Labour warned that the UK’s handling of the crisis suggested the Foreign Office had learned nothing from the Afghanistan fiasco.
Mitchell told MPs that movement around the capital “remains extremely dangerous, and no evacuation option comes without grave risk to life”. “Khartoum airport is out of action. Energy supplies are disrupted. Food and water are becoming increasingly scarce. Internet and telephone networks are becoming difficult to access.”
The UN secretary general, António Guterres, warned that the violence in Sudan “risks a catastrophic conflagration within Sudan that could engulf the whole region and beyond” and called on security council members to exert maximum leverage.The UN secretary general, António Guterres, warned that the violence in Sudan “risks a catastrophic conflagration within Sudan that could engulf the whole region and beyond” and called on security council members to exert maximum leverage.
Heappey said Sunday’s rescue involving two RAF planes – an Airbus A400M and a Hercules C-130 – operating via the Akrotiri base in Cyprus “went without a hitch”. Planes landed at an airfield at Wadi Seidna, which is about 30km north of Khartoum, and the UK worked with France and Germany to fly in and out this weekend.Heappey said Sunday’s rescue involving two RAF planes – an Airbus A400M and a Hercules C-130 – operating via the Akrotiri base in Cyprus “went without a hitch”. Planes landed at an airfield at Wadi Seidna, which is about 30km north of Khartoum, and the UK worked with France and Germany to fly in and out this weekend.
Asked why diplomats but not citizens had been evacuated, Mitchell said: “We have a specific duty of care – a legal duty of care – to our own staff and our diplomats.” He added that there had been “a very specific threat to the diplomatic community” in Khartoum.Asked why diplomats but not citizens had been evacuated, Mitchell said: “We have a specific duty of care – a legal duty of care – to our own staff and our diplomats.” He added that there had been “a very specific threat to the diplomatic community” in Khartoum.
Eiman Bribo, who was visiting her extended Sudanese family with her husband and two children from Swansea, said she believed the UK had discriminated in not taking all nationals. “We are all citizens of the UK, but they took the ones they believe are more important and they are first-class citizens, and left us who are second-class citizens behind. I saw the airplane in which they evacuated the staff of the embassy and some other people on the TV … It was a huge plane. It could have been enough for all of us.” Eiman Bribo, who was visiting her extended Sudanese family with her husband and two children from Swansea, said she believed the UK had discriminated in not taking all nationals. “We are all citizens of the UK, but they took the ones they believe are more important and they are first-class citizens, and left us who are second-class citizens behind.”
She said she had chosen not to leave Khartoum with her Sudanese relatives because she believed her family would be evacuated by the UK. “I emailed an address on a link sent by the government and made a telephone call when they didn’t get back to me. The answer was disappointing. With very cold manner, a lady on the other side said to me, ‘I’m afraid I have no idea when you will be evacuated.’” She said she had chosen not to leave Khartoum with her Sudanese relatives because she believed her family would be evacuated by the UK. ”
Tobias Ellwood, the chair of the Commons defence committee, called for a “clearcut plan” to get British passport holders out. “If that plan does not emerge today, then individuals will then lose faith and then start making their own way back,” he told GB News, saying that could lead to “some very difficult situations”.Tobias Ellwood, the chair of the Commons defence committee, called for a “clearcut plan” to get British passport holders out. “If that plan does not emerge today, then individuals will then lose faith and then start making their own way back,” he told GB News, saying that could lead to “some very difficult situations”.
Some Sudanese people have expressed anger that western countries have seemingly prioritised evacuating their people over trying to stop the fighting.Some Sudanese people have expressed anger that western countries have seemingly prioritised evacuating their people over trying to stop the fighting.