Sudan’s brutal power conflict has stranded thousands of British citizens.
After a short ceasefire, evacuations began this week, and the administration has stressed that not all Brits would be evacuated.
The British embassy and Khartoum International Airport are closed, therefore the government must evacuate everyone.
Know this.
Brits in Sudan: why?
Due to Sudan’s unpredictable political situation, the UK has discouraged any but essential travel there for months.
Since 2005, Sudan has had two official languages: Arabic and English.
Sudan was governed by Britain and Egypt from the late 19th century to 1956, when it gained independence, therefore a sizable Sudanese community may currently live in the UK.
The Office for National Statistics predicted 35,000 Sudanese Brits in June 2019.
Not only Brits are stuck. When the fighting started, people from all over the world were in Sudan, so governments from Russia, Turkey, Nigeria, India, and the EU are scrambling to rescue their citizens.
Evacuate how many Brits?
In a sophisticated operation involving over 1,200 military personnel, all UK-affiliated diplomats, government workers, and their relatives were withdrawn on Sunday.
As of Monday, 4,000 UK passport-holders were in the nation, 2,000 of whom phoned the Foreign Office to request evacuation.
After Sudan’s warring factions agreed to a 72-hour ceasefire on Tuesday, the UK began its “large-scale” evacuation, prioritizing families with children, the elderly, and the infirm.
UK evacuated 897 people on eight flights by 3pm Thursday.
This excludes UK working visa holders. They were instructed to return to Britain without Foreign Office assistance.
The gov.uk website states: “We can only evacuate British passport holders and immediate family members (spouse/partner and children under 18 years old) who are either non-visa nationals or those with existing UK entry clearance.
“Anyone with a valid UK visa/visa vignette in their passport or a UK Biometric Residence permit.”
Are evacuations ongoing?
Yes, a second 72-hour ceasefire brokered by the US and Saudi Arabia will end at midnight (local time) on Sunday, April 30.
The foreign office guaranteed “further flights to come,” so foreign secretary James Cleverly advised the remaining Brits to go to the airfield north of Khartoum “as quickly as possible to ensure their safety”.
Where are Brits evacuated?
Flights aren’t heading to the UK.
Cyprus launched a humanitarian rescue mechanism at Britain’s request to let third countries receive and repatriate evacuated people. Two big UK military bases are in the EU.
Everyone evacuated?
British military leaders said they can evacuate at least 500 people each day from the Wadi Saeedna airstrip, but there are concerns that it will be “impossible” after the ceasefire.
The gov.uk website states: “We cannot guarantee how many further flights will depart. Flights may halt suddenly.”
What’s so crucial?
The Rapid Support Forces and Sudanese Army paramilitaries destroyed the capital in two weeks.
Due to the dangerous situation, hospitals and humanitarian aid have closed in Khartoum due to water, fuel, and electricity shortages.
Looting is up and violence is spreading, putting tens of thousands of Sudanese in danger.
The conflict has killed over 500 people, and even during the first ceasefire, gunfire continued.
Why does Germany dislike UK evacuations?
Germany complained that the UK evacuated its ambassadors over the weekend without Sudanese army approval.
Germany claimed this hampered evacuation attempts.
The BBC reported that Sudan authorized the diplomatic evacuation.
“Obviously we see a situation in Sudan where… communications within the Sudanese system are often disrupted, so I will of course look at the circumstances of that,” Cleverly said, denying a rift.
What follows?
No one knows if the truce will last or what will happen afterward.
The HMS Lancaster is helping the administration plan a naval evacuation from Port Sudan.
The UK will not establish a new refugee scheme for Sudanese refugees, thus there are no safe and lawful entry pathways.
