Sudan: No guarantee of flights after ceasefire, warns foreign secretary

There is nary warrant further evacuation flights volition permission Sudan erstwhile the ceasefire has ended, the overseas caput has warned.

The UK has airlifted 536 radical from the eastbound African country, and immoderate person arrived successful the UK.

But that is simply a fraction of the thousands of British nationals thought to beryllium successful state afflicted by conflict.

"We cannot warrant however galore flights volition depart erstwhile the ceasefire ends," James Cleverly said connected Wednesday.

"If you program to permission Sudan delight question to the British evacuation centre arsenic soon arsenic possible."

The 72-hour ceasefire, which was agreed by Sudan's service and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, started connected Tuesday but ends connected Thursday astatine midnight section clip (22:00 GMT).

Since warring erupted connected 15 April, the state has been gripped by a powerfulness conflict that has seen astatine slightest 512 radical killed, according to the Sudanese wellness ministry, and residential areas turned into warfare zones.

Meanwhile successful the UK, the first formation from Larnaca airdrome successful Cyprus - wherever evacuees were flown to initially - landed astatine Stansted Airport connected Wednesday. There were 250 radical connected board.

Nemar, from westbound London, who was met by her sister, told reporters: "I americium precise blessed to beryllium here.

"The British authorities has been marvellous - I consciousness precise arrogant that I person made it here."

Shama, 1 of the archetypal disconnected the airdrome bus, told reporters and her family: "We're safe. We're successful nary information - I'm backmost and nary longer scared."

Asked astir the velocity of the British effect to the unit successful Sudan, she said: "It was dilatory but we're here."

More than 2,000 British nationals successful Sudan person registered with the Foreign Office nether evacuation plans.

Only British passport holders and contiguous household members with existing UK introduction clearance are being told they are eligible for evacuation.

But Alicia Kearns, the Conservative chairwoman of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee, said aged radical babelike connected their children - who themselves person British presumption - should besides beryllium admitted.

She told the BBC: "In the aforesaid mode we dainty children who are babelike connected their parents, we should respect that immoderate aged radical are babelike connected their children.

"So, I deliberation it is important that we are bringing radical retired who would different beryllium near destitute and truly vulnerable."

The authorities is besides moving to supply different routes retired Sudan, with HMS Lancaster travelling towards Port Sudan, the Red Sea dock astir 500 miles from Khartoum that could beryllium utilized successful a seaborne operation.

But with UK nationals being told to marque their ain mode to evacuations, the travel would beryllium made peculiarly challenging by substance shortages and the fig of radical fleeing.

Senior German governmental forces said British forces landed successful Sudan without support from the Sudanese army, truthful angering them they temporarily barred entree to the Wadi Saeedna airstrip that European nations were hoping to use.

The UK Ministry of Defence denied it was liable for immoderate delay.