Britons trapped in Sudan have accused the government of abandoning them as they prepare a “surgical” evacuation of diplomatic officials from the country.
Last night, the UK began drawing up plans for a military airlift of a dozen British diplomats and their families from the embassy in the capital Khartoum.
There are reportedly a total of 25 diplomats attached to the embassy, many of whom have been sheltering in their homes since the start of the conflict.
However, several hundred other Britons still live in the country, and Whitehall ministers and officials have stated that a wider evacuation has not been possible at this stage.
Detained citizens from the UK said it took five days for the embassy to contact them with a telephone number they could use to register with the Foreign Office.
Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden leaves BBC Broadcasting House. He said the situation was “moving fast.”
A teacher told the timeS that several people had been unable to get through and were forced to ask family in the UK to call the number on their behalf.
“The first five days were ridiculous, and actually farcical. I couldn’t believe they wouldn’t keep doing nothing,” said William.
The British ambassador to Sudan, Giles Lever and his deputy were abroad when the violence began and have not been able to return.
Annoyed senior figures in Whitehall have likened the situation to the chaos of the August 2021 Afghanistan evacuation. A source said, “It’s Kabul again.”
William said the embassy’s capacity to help was “little.”
“There is someone we have direct contact with, but there is a shortage of someone above her in the embassy,” he added.
A drone view shows smoke rising over buildings a week after fighting began in North Khartoum, as seen from Omdurman, Sudan, April 22, 2023
Smoke rises from buildings yesterday during clashes between the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces and the army in Khartoum North, Sudan
The US military has evacuated US diplomats and their families from Sudan.
People carry water during clashes between the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces and the army in Khartoum
A Foreign Office source retaliated at the criticism, arguing that Lever’s presence in London had been essential.
Fighting broke out over the weekend, pitting army units loyal to Sudan’s military ruler Abdel Fattah al-Burhan against Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) led by Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, deputy head of the ruling council .
More than 400 people have been killed, including a United Nations worker and a US citizen. A number of Westerners also had their homes and grounds looted.
Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden said the situation was “moving fast” as he highlighted the differences between the likely British response in the African nation and the evacuation in Afghanistan in 2021.
Asked on Sky News’ Sophy Ridge On Sunday program whether the UK was preparing to evacuate Sudan of British nationals, Oliver Dowden said: ‘The situation with regard to Sudan is clearly a fast-moving and complex one.
Our priority is to support British nationals. Now the Department of Defense is acting in support of the State Department, but you clearly wouldn’t expect me to comment on the current situation in terms of ground movement for security reasons.”
Asked if there are any plans to evacuate Sudan of British citizens, Mr Dowden added: ‘For example, this is a very different situation to the situation in Afghanistan for a number of reasons.
“Firstly, this situation has developed very quickly and secondly, we just don’t have the amount of resources on the ground that were there in Afghanistan.
Smoke billows over residential buildings in eastern Khartoum on April 22, 2023, during ongoing fighting between the forces of two rival generals
An aerial view shows a mosque, as the conflict between the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces and the army continues, in Omdurman, Sudan, April 21, 2023
“It is clear that we must ensure that we support our British nationals. At this point, British nationals are advised to stay indoors, stay safe and contact the Foreign Office.”
Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary Jon Ashworth said people are “deeply, deeply concerned and alarmed” about what is happening in Sudan.
He told Sky News’ Sophy Ridge On Sunday programme: ‘As for the question around evacuations and so forth, it seems a legitimate question as to why our government is not acting in the same way as other governments.
“I hope we can get clarification on that from the State Department, perhaps in parliament in the next few days.”
Across the Atlantic, US troops flew in by helicopter to evacuate embassy staff from Sudan’s battle-torn capital, President Joe Biden said on Sunday, as other countries tried to help their citizens flee deadly fighting between rival generals.
France also began evacuation operations from the northeastern African country on Sunday, where ongoing fighting has entered its second week.
Fierce fighting between the Sudanese army and a paramilitary group – which has seen tank battles in densely populated Khartoum and fighter jet airstrikes – has left more than 400 people dead and thousands injured.
Biden, who said the US military has “conducted an operation” to retrieve US government personnel, condemned the violence, saying “it is unconscionable and it must stop.”
Just over 100 US special operations troops took part in the rescue effort to free less than 100 people, who saw three Chinook helicopters flying from Djibouti and grounded in Khartoum for less than an hour.
The French Foreign Ministry said on Sunday that a “rapid evacuation operation” had begun and that European citizens and people from “allied partner countries” would also be assisted, without giving further details.
Fighting continued on Sunday with the crackle of automatic gunfire echoing over Khartoum and Sudanese military jets hurtling overhead, witnesses said.
Frightened residents, many without water, food and other supplies, have huddled in their homes in the chaos-torn city where buildings have been gutted, lampposts are down and smoke is rising from burned shops.
