SUDAN WATCH: Larnaca

Sunday, May 14, 2023

Sudan extends Sudanese airspace closure to May 23

Sudan's Civil Aviation Authority said in a statement that “humanitarian aid and evacuation flights” would be exempted as long as they obtain a permit from relevant authorities. Read more.

Report from Radio Tamazuj

Dated Saturday 13 May 2023 - full copy:

Sudan extends airspace closure

Sudan has extended the closure of Sudanese airspace until May 23 amid continued fighting between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

The Civil Aviation Authority said in a statement that “humanitarian aid and evacuation flights” would be exempted as long as they obtain a permit from relevant authorities.

Sudanese airspace was closed to regular traffic after a military conflict erupted between the country’s army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in mid-April.

Video clips circulating online showed the damage to the Khartoum Airport due to the heavy fighting.

The conflict that broke out a month ago has killed hundreds of people, sent more than 200,000 into neighbouring states, displaced another 700,000 inside the country.

The two sides have battled through previous truces and have shown no sign of being willing to compromise.

Representatives of both generals have been in the Saudi city of Jeddah for a week, for talks intended “to protect Sudan from any escalation that will lead to a humanitarian catastrophe.”

Representatives of the warring parties will resume talks on Sunday on how to implement plans to deliver humanitarian aid and remove troops from civilian areas.

View original: https://radiotamazuj.org/en/news/article/sudan-extends-airspace-closure

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SW UPDATE 1 hour later: this report by Reuters says Sudanese airspace to remain closed until May 31.

Report from Alarabiya.net

By Reuters

Dated: 13 May 2023: 07:37 PM GST; 07:51 PM GST - full copy:

Sudanese airspace to remain closed to all traffic until May 31

Sudanese airspace will remain closed to all traffic until May 31, the country’s civil aviation authority said.

The authority said in a statement that “humanitarian aid and evacuation flights” would be exempted as long as they obtain a permit from relevant authorities.

Sudanese airspace was closed to regular traffic after a military conflict erupted between the country’s army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in mid-April.

In this handout image provided by the UK Ministry of Defence, on Thursday, April 27, 2023, British Nationals board an RAF aircraft for evacuation of civilians to Larnaca International Airport in Cyprus, at Wadi Seidna military airport, 22 kilometers (14 mi) north of Khartoum, Sudan. (AP)

View source: https://english.alarabiya.net/News/middle-east/2023/05/13/Sudanese-airspace-to-remain-closed-to-all-traffic-until-May-31

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Tuesday, April 25, 2023

UK evacuation mission under way in Khartoum Sudan. RAF flight lands in Cyprus, with more to come

From BBC News Live Reporting

Tue 25 Apr 2023 14:21 BST UK - full copy:

As we've been telling you, the UK government has launched an evacuation plan for British nationals in Sudan.

Some 2,000 British citizens in Sudan are registered with the Foreign Office to be evacuated.

In the pictures below we can see preparations being made in the RAF base in Cyprus ahead of the mission.

One RAF flight which took off from Khartoum earlier has landed back in Cyprus, though at the moment we don't have any information on who is on that flight.

Image caption: The mission to evacuate civilians from Sudan has begun in Cyprus

Image caption: About 1,400 military personnel are involved in the rescue effort. View original here.

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BBC News Live Reporting posted at 13:43 - full copy:

RAF flight lands in Cyprus, with more to come

We can now confirm that an RAF flight which took off from Khartoum earlier has landed in Cyprus.

We are expecting another landing later this afternoon. At this stage, we don't have any details on who is on these flights.

This is obviously a high-risk and delicate operation, and the Ministry of Defence is not releasing a huge amount of information as it unfolds. View original here.

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BBC Live report by Caroline Hawley Posted at 17:51 BST

First UK flight to land in Cyprus at 18:30

I've been told that the first evacuation flight will arrive in Larnaca at 18:30 BST - with two more coming in overnight.

Around 250 people are expected to be on board those three flights, and they're due to be flown back to the UK from Cyprus on charter planes.

Those flights, I've been told, have yet to be arranged. View original here.

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