Sudan – live: Final evacuation flight for fleeing Britons leaves as violence resumes

More than 800,000 people could flee the war-torn country, UN official warns

UK evacuations from Sudan could be 'impossible' once ceasefire ends, Cleverly warns

The final evacuation flight for British nationls has now left Sudan as a fragile ceasefire holds in the country.

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) had given those looking to flee the war-torn nation until 11am UK time - midday in Sudan - to reach the departure site on the eastern coast.

Officials at the Foreign Office would not confirm what time the flight was due to take off, but flight tracking websites showed a Royal Air Force (RAF) Airbus A400M Atlas plane as having landed at Port Sudan at about 3pm on Monday.

The UK government said it was “exceptionally” offering one final flight for a limited number of British nationals still in the country.

It comes as a UN official said more than 800,000 people may flee the war-torn country.

The UN Assistant High Commissioner for Refugees, Raouf Mazou, said: “In consultation with all concerned governments and partners we’ve arrived at a planning figure of 815,000 people that may flee into the seven neighboring countries.”

Key Points

• Deadline passes for final evacuation flight leaving Sudan
• UN: 73,000 people fleeing Sudan war enter neighbouring countries
• British nationals race against the clock to reach last evacuation flight
• Clashes continue despite ceasefire extension
• As battle for Sudan continues, civilian deaths top 400

[1 May 2023 01:00 · William Mata]

Official: 148 Somalis evacuated from Sudan via Ethiopia

Scores of Somalis fleeing violence in Sudan arrived in their Horn of Africa nation on Sunday, an official said.

Some 148 Somali nationals, mostly students, arrived by plane in the capital Mogadishu, said Abdurahman Nur Mohamed Diinaari, a top official with the Somali foreign ministry.

Read Omar Faruk’s full story here.

(AP)

[1 May 2023 02:00 · William Mata]

Sides accuse each other of fresh violations of a ceasefire

Sudan's rival military forces accused each other of fresh violations of a ceasefire on Sunday as their deadly conflict rumbled on for a third week despite warnings of a slide towards civil war.

Hundreds of people have been killed and thousands wounded since a long-simmering power struggle between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) erupted into conflict on April 15.

Both sides said a formal ceasefire agreement which was due to expire at midnight would be extended for a further 72 hours, in a move the RSF said was "in response to international, regional and local calls".

The army said it hoped what it called the "rebels" would abide by the deal but it believed they had intended to keep up attacks. The parties have kept fighting through a series of ceasefires secured by mediators including the United States.

A wreckage during the violence in Sudan (Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

[1 May 2023 03:00 · William Mata]

Ceasefire to continue for further 72 hours, both sides agree

Sudan's army and its rival paramilitary said on Sunday they will extend a humanitarian ceasefire a further 72 hours.

The decision follows international pressure to allow the safe passage of civilians and aid but the shaky truce has not so far stopped the clashes.

In statements, both sides accused the other of violations. The agreement has deescalated the fighting in some areas but violence continues to push civilians to flee.

Aid groups have also struggled to get badly needed supplies into the country.

The conflict erupted on April 15 between the nation's army and its paramilitary force, and threatens to thrust Sudan into a raging civil war.

Earlier on Sunday, an aircraft carrying eight tons of emergency medical aid landed in Sudan to resupply hospitals devastated by the fighting, according to the International Committee of the Red Cross, which organised the shipment.

The Rapid Support Forces (Rapid Support Forces (RSF)/AFP v)

[1 May 2023 04:00 · William Mata]

Fighting escalates in Sudan despite extended ceasefire as thousands more flee

Fighting has intensified in Sudan despite an extended truce between the country’s two warring generals, with the civilian death toll rising and thousands more fleeing the war zone on Sunday.

The Sudanese army said on Sunday that it had agreed a ceasefire with the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) would be extended a further 72 hours from when the current ceasefire ends at midnight.

But hopes the ceasefire could have stopped attacks have been dashed in recent days, with gunfire and airstrikes escalating on the streets of the capital Khartoum despite the agreed truce. Airstrikes also hit its neighbouring city Omdurman.

Read William Mata’s full round-up here.

(REUTERS)

[1 May 2023 05:00 · William Mata]

Today’s front page

Sudan makes the front page of the Independent on bank holiday Monday.

You can see the newspaper here.

(Independent)

[1 May 2023 06:00 · William Mata]

UK Gov: More than 2,100 now rescued

The UK has evacuated more than 2,100 people from Sudan thanks to the efforts of UK Government staff and the military who have been working around the clock on the evacuation, the foreign office has said in a tweet.

Foreign secretary James Cleverly tweeted: “I’m proud that the UK led the largest and longest evacuation effort of any Western nation.

“We continue to push for a long-term ceasefire and a stable transition to civilian rule.”

[1 May 2023 06:30 · Namita Singh]

Fighting escalates in Sudan despite extended ceasefire

Fighting has intensified in Sudan despite an extended truce between the country’s two warring generals, with the civilian death toll rising and thousands more fleeing the war zone on Sunday.

The Sudanese army said on Sunday that it had agreed that a ceasefire with the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) would be extended a further 72 hours from when the current ceasefire ends at midnight local time.

But hopes the ceasefire could have stopped attacks have been dashed in recent days, with gunfire and airstrikes escalating on the streets of the capital Khartoum. Airstrikes also hit its neighbouring city Omdurman.

My colleague William Mata reports:

[1 May 2023 07:00 · Namita Singh]

Britons have until midday to reach port Sudan as UK relocates evacuation efforts

British nationals trying to flee Sudan have until noon to reach an airport to be processed for an additional UK flight out of the conflict zone as rescue efforts shift to the east of the country.

Members of the military are working round the clock to assist UK citizens and others trying to escape the war-torn nation amid an uneasy ceasefire, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) said.

Some 2,122 people on 23 flights have been evacuated from the Wadi Saeedna airfield near Khartoum but more than 1,000 British passport holders may remain.

More in this report:

[1 May 2023 07:29 · Tara Cobham]

Sudan could be ‘worse than Ukraine’, says a UN leader

The conflict in Sudan could be “worse than Ukraine” for civilians, according to Amina Mohammed, deputy secretary-general of the UN.

There have been threats of mass casualties and reports of civilians being used as human shields in the capital Khartoum, the epicentre of the fighting.

Referring to the generals of Sudan’s army and its rival paramilitary group, Mohammed told the Financial Times: “They’ve gone Awol and there’s no return to a status quo.”

She added: “We have to pull whatever strings we can to stop them fighting.”

[1 May 2023 08:06 · Maryam Zakir-Hussain]

British nationals race against the clock to reach evacuation flight

British nationals trying to flee Sudan have until noon to reach an airport to be processed for an additional UK flight out of the conflict zone as rescue efforts shift to the east of the country.

Members of the military are working round the clock to assist UK citizens and others trying to escape the war-torn nation amid an uneasy ceasefire, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) said.

Some 2,122 people on 23 flights have been evacuated from the Wadi Saeedna airfield near Khartoum but more than 1,000 British passport holders may remain.

The Government announced on Friday it was ceasing operations from the site on Saturday as an armistice between the country’s warring generals appeared to start breaking down.

UK citizens are now being advised to travel to Port Sudan where an extra flight will take off on Monday, the FCDO said, as warring factions agreed to extend the fragile ceasefire for a further 72 hours.

In order to be processed for the journey, people are being urged to arrived at the city’s international airport before midday local time.

It is understood the flight from Port Sudan is exceptional and would repatriate a limited number of British nationals left in the country who wish to leave.

Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said: “Evacuation flights have ended from Wadi Saeedna but our rescue efforts continue from Port Sudan.”

The armed forces and border force staff have been supporting the FCDO with the evacuation mission, with HMS Lancaster and the RAF redirected to the area.

The UK will continue to advocate for a long-term end to the conflict along with its international allies, Mr Cleverly said.

(via REUTERS)