Sudan: 'Final' UK evacuation flights depart

Two other evacuation flights carrying British nationals person near Sudan, arsenic UK efforts present crook to diplomacy and humanitarian aid.

The "exceptional" flights - billed arsenic the past UK airlift from Sudan - took disconnected from Port Sudan connected the Red Sea seashore connected Monday evening.

It comes aft the subject rescue flights from an airstrip, adjacent Sudanese superior Khartoum, ended connected Saturday.

Nearly 2,200 radical had been evacuated arsenic of Monday afternoon.

The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office said it volition merchandise rider numbers for the 2 latest flights connected Tuesday.

British nationals and others, including Sudanese NHS staff, were asked to question to Port Sudan by midday connected Monday for the "additional exceptional" flights.

The 2 flights were acceptable to onshore successful Larnaca, Cyprus, later. The Foreign Office would not corroborate the movements of the flights, but a formation tracking website showed a RAF transport Hercules craft landed successful Larnaca astatine 22:45 section clip (20:45). A RAF Atlas transport craft was owed to onshore successful the coming hours.

The UK authorities said it ended evacuation flights from Wadi Saeedna airfield aft a diminution successful request by British nationals and the "increasingly volatile situation" connected the ground, with the past subject level taking disconnected from the airfield connected Saturday night.

It comes arsenic airstrikes and warring were reported implicit the play contempt a ceasefire betwixt the Sudanese service and its rival the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces.

The UK authorities described the cognition successful Sudan arsenic the "longest and largest airlift" by immoderate Western nation, with 2,197 radical airlifted from the war-torn federation arsenic of 17:30 Sudan clip connected Monday.

This fig included 1,087 radical from different nations, including the US and Germany.

In addition, a UK squad is providing consular assistance successful Port Sudan, wherever they volition beryllium helping British nationals permission by commercialized routes. Royal Navy vessel HMS Lancaster is supporting evacuation efforts from Sudan.

The FCDO said the concern remains volatile and "our quality to behaviour evacuations could alteration astatine abbreviated notice".

Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said: "With acknowledgment to the bonzer efforts of unit and military, the UK has brought 2,197 radical to information from Sudan truthful acold - the largest airlift by immoderate Western nation.

"As the absorption turns to humanitarian and diplomatic efforts, we volition proceed bash each we tin to property for a semipermanent ceasefire and an contiguous extremity to the unit successful Sudan."

Options to supply humanitarian assistance to Sudanese radical successful coordination with the UN and NGOs is being explored, the FCDO said.

Fighting has entered its 3rd week successful Sudan. Tens of thousands of radical person fled the state since warring engulfed the state much than 2 weeks ago.

The superior metropolis Khartoum has seen the heaviest fighting, with the Sudanese subject and the Rapid Support Forces, a almighty paramilitary group, warring for power of the country.

Sudan's subject said connected Saturday it was launching a large caller violative against RSF positions successful Khartoum.

The latest truce, which has not held, was owed to extremity astatine midnight connected Sunday. But the RSF said the ceasefire had been extended for different 3 days.