UK: Evacuation flights have ended at Wadi Saeedna but our rescue efforts continue from Port Sudan

The RAF planes used until yesterday took off from Wadi Seidna Air Base, but tomorrow’s flight will leave from Port Sudan International Airport (Picture: Royal Navy)

Report from the METRO 

By Craig Munro

Sunday 30 April 2023 4:07 pm BST UK - full copy:

The UK is to run an additional flight to evacuate British citizens from Sudan after announcing an end to the operation yesterday.

Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said: ‘The UK has now airlifted over 2,100 people to safety from Sudan, in what has been the largest and longest evacuation of any western country. 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.

‘We continue to do everything in our power to secure a long-term ceasefire, a stable transition to civilian rule and an end the violence in Sudan.’

View original: https://metro.co.uk/2023/04/30/uk-to-run-extra-sudan-evacuation-flight-as-rescue-efforts-continue-18698712/

[Ends]

Protected convoys not possible for UK citizens in Sudan, says Cleverly

Report from BBC News Live Reporting

Dated Thursday 27 April 2023; 9:11 - full copy:

Protected convoys not possible for UK citizens in Sudan, says Cleverly

The UK will not offer coaches to help evacuees get to the airbase in Sudan, says Foreign Secretary James Cleverly.

Speaking on the BBC's Today programme, Cleverly was asked why the UK had not provided coaches to shuttle evacuees to the exit point, as other countries including Turkey have done.

Cleverly said the "small number" of attempted convoys had come under attack.

He added: "It's not possible for us to give protected convoys from what could potentially have been a large number of locations."

View original here.

[Ends]

Sudan: Family stuck at Egypt border as drivers demand $40,000 to cross. Crossing on foot is banned

Report from BBC News

By Gabriela Pomeroy

Friday 28 April 2023 - excerpts:

Sudan crisis: Family stuck at Egypt border as drivers demand $40,000 to cross

In a statement to the BBC, the Foreign Office said it had been "working intensively to evacuate British Nationals, since the outbreak of violence in Sudan, in a complex and highly volatile environment".

"British Nationals in Sudan are our utmost priority and we urge those who wish to leave the country to travel to the British Evacuation Centre as soon as possible. We are unable to arrange any help with travel to the airfield," the statement added.

The Foreign Office said that by Thursday evening 897 people had been flown out of Wadi Saeedna airfield.

However the BBC has spoken to a British Sudanese doctor who is being evacuated by the RAF in the eastern Red Sea city of Port Sudan. There are dozens of British Sudanese citizens who are waiting to be evacuated from Port Sudan, but until now there have been no evacuation flights.

A family fleeing Sudan say they are among thousands stuck at the border with Egypt because drivers are demanding £31,810 ($40,000) to hire a bus to travel across.

Only people travelling on buses with special permits can cross the border.

Crossing on foot is banned.

Full story: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-65430334

[Ends]