Showing posts with label British Royal Navy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label British Royal Navy. Show all posts

Sunday, April 30, 2023

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/


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Thursday, April 27, 2023

British Royal Navy frigate arrives at Port Sudan

Report from BBC News Live Reporting

By Olga Robinson, BBC Verify

Dated Thursday 27 April 2023 12:03 BST UK

Royal Navy frigate arrives at Port Sudan



According to Vessel Finder and Marine Traffic websites, HMS Lancaster has arrived at Port Sudan, where it is to take part in the evacuation of British nationals and residents. 

BBC Verify will continue tracking the movements of the Royal Navy frigate and report on any updates here.

Image credit: PA. View original report here.

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Tuesday, April 25, 2023

Sudan: UK seaborne evacuation being considered

Report from BBC News LIVE Reporting 


Tuesday 25 Apr 2023 15:44 BST UK


Seaborne evacuation being considered - UK defence secretary

UK Defence Secretary Ben Wallace [pictured] says the Royal Marines are scoping out a possible seaborne evacuation from Port Sudan, some 500 miles (800km) away from the intense fighting in the capital, Khartoum. It is a more benign environment, it is an access into the Red Sea and to commercial airports in places like Jeddah (in Saudi Arabia) and gives us space and time in order to process many people there," he said.

He said Royal Marines were already in Port Sudan to "establish the safety of the area and any options" so "we are in a good position there should we wish to increase support". 


View the original, with thanks to BBC,  here.


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Monday, April 24, 2023

A British RAF plane and reconnaissance team lands in Port Sudan for future evacuations

Report from The Guardian UK LIVE reporting

By Dan Sabbagh

Monday 24 April 2023 17:10 BST UK


RAF plane lands in Sudan for future evacuations


A British RAF plane has landed at port city in the north-east of Sudan as a British minister said that the UK is evaluating further military options for rescuing non-diplomats from the country by land, sea and air.

A C17 Globemaster is on the ground at Port Sudan with some troops who may form part of a second rescue organised by the UK following Sunday’s controversial evacuation of British diplomats from the capital, Khartoum, but not other UK nationals.

James Heappey, the minister for the armed forces said in a briefing that the UK recognises that “the job isn’t done” when it comes to rescuing the 4,000 or more British and dual nationals trapped in Sudan.

“Work is under way in [the Ministry of Defence] and has been all weekend and the back end of last week to give the prime minister and Cobra options for what else could be done to support the wider community of British nationals in Sudan,” the defence minister said.

A storm gathered on Monday over Britain’s decision to rescue only its diplomats when other countries such as Germany had been evacuating both diplomats and nationals, prompting British ministers to say that evacuation efforts had not been abandoned.

Heappey said that discussions in government were continuing “at pace” and that Rishi Sunak would be given options to help Britons trapped in Sudan “as and when they arise”, but added that there was a concern that the military situation was highly unstable given the fighting between government and RSF rebel forces.

A frigate, HMS Lancaster, is also available nearby and could participate in any maritime rescue, if one were organised. Although the long journey from Khartoum to Port Sudan is not being recommended by British officials and is fraught with danger, convoys have been able to make it to the relatively safety of the city.


View original: here.


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Report from BBC News LIVE

By Jonathan Beale, Defence correspondent

Monday 24 April 2023 16:47 BST UK


British military reconnaissance team lands in Port Sudan


The BBC understands that a small British military reconnaissance team has landed in Port Sudan to asses potential options for the evacuation of UK citizens still stranded in Sudan.


No decisions have been made about extracting UK citizens from the country but defence sources say that work is under way to provide the prime minister with options.


Two Royal Navy ships are also in the region. The Frigate HMS Lancaster is already at sea nearby.


Supply ship RFA Cardigan Bay has been undergoing maintenance in Bahrain.


Commenting on the reports, a defence source said the news "should give you no indication, other than defence is doing what defence does - looking to generate options for the prime minister, so that as soon as those options are ready, he can take them if he thinks they are viable".


View original: here.


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Friday, August 30, 2019

British forces helping Vietnam People’s Army prepare to take over running of UN hospital in Bentiu S. Sudan

Article from Plymouth Herald UK
By MAX CHANNON
Dated 04 July 2019 15:38
Royal Navy helps Vietnam People’s Army prepare for Sudan mission

British Army and Royal Air Force medics also in Hanoi
Vietnam People’s Army personnel and international medical experts begin the table-top Exercise.

Medics from the Royal Navy, British Army and Royal Air Force have been helping the Vietnam People’s Army prepare to take over the running of a UN hospital in South Sudan

A spokesperson for the British Embassy in Hanoi said: "As part of the continued cooperation between the UK and Vietnam on United Nations Peacekeeping Operations (UN PKO) issues, medical personnel from the Royal Navy, British Army and Royal Air Force are working alongside members of the Vietnam People’s Army (VPA) during a Tactical Training Exercise/Field Training Exercise (TTX/FTX) at 301 Infantry Division, Hanoi from 18 June-1 July 2019.

"Reflecting the international nature of UN PKOs, the British military medical experts have been joined at the TTX/FTX by experts from the USA Army, Royal Australian Navy, Australian Army and Royal Australian Air Force.

"Together, the UK, VPA, Australian and USA personnel are working to help prepare Vietnamese military personnel from Military Hospital 103 and the Military Medical University who will deploy to the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) in October 2019, where they will take over the UNMISS Bentiu Level 2 Hospital from their Military Hospital 175 colleagues."

The facility provides medical care to over 1,800 military and civilian UN staff working in the remote Protection of Civilians site in the north of South Sudan.
Vietnam People’s Army personnel study the layout of the Bentiu Level 2 Hospital

"The Exercise began with a table-top TTX, which will allow the VPA personnel to discuss scenarios they are likely to face during their time in South Sudan and devise potential solutions. The FTX element of the Exercise will begin on 22 June 2019 and will be held in a full-scale mock-up of the Level 2 Hospital used in Bentiu.

The UK Defence Attaché, Group Captain David Houghton, said: “The professionalism and dedication of the VPA personnel currently deployed to Bentiu has been clear to all the nations who form part of UNMISS.

"The current TTX/FTX will ensure that the personnel from Military Hospital 103 and the Military Medical University who will deploy to Bentiu in October 2019 will be fully-prepared to continue the excellent work that is currently being carried out by Military Hospital 175 personnel.”