UK government begin evacuation operation to extract British nationals from Sudan

Watch more of our videos on ShotsTV.com 
and on Freeview 262 or Freely 565
Visit Shots! now
Evacuation flights from Sudan back to the UK have started

The UK government has confirmed evacuation flights to bring British citizens home from Sudan. The start of the flights was confirmed by foreign secretary James Cleverly.

The need for the evacuation operation comes as a result of escalating conflict between two warring factions in the country. Over 400 people are said to have been killed since the violence erupted earlier this month - there is however a 72-hour cease fire currently in place.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Flights are set to leave from a military airbase outside of Khartoum. These flights will be supported by foreign office diplomats.

In a tweet, Mr Cleverly said: "We have started contacting nationals directly and providing routes for departure out of the country."

The foreign office added: "Flights will be open to those with British passports and priority will be given to family groups with children and/or the elderly or individuals with medical conditions," the Foreign Office said.

"At this stage we will contact those who are eligible for evacuation directly and British nationals should not make their way to the airfield unless they are called."

It is estimated that there are around 4,000 British nationals in need of evacuation from Sudan. The UK ambassador to Sudan, Giles Lever, was not in the country when violence broke out.

Comment Guidelines

National World encourages reader discussion on our stories. User feedback, insights and back-and-forth exchanges add a rich layer of context to reporting. Please review our Community Guidelines before commenting.

News you can trust since 1877
Follow us
©National World Publishing Ltd. All rights reserved.Cookie SettingsTerms and ConditionsPrivacy notice