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UK brings more than 500 people to safety from Sudan with more flights to come

More than 2,000 British nationals in Sudan have registered for Foreign Office evacuation plans.

Sophie Wingate
Wednesday 26 April 2023 16:58 EDT
(LPhot Mark Johnson/PA)
(LPhot Mark Johnson/PA) (PA Media)

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The British evacuation mission from Sudan has lifted 536 people to safety on six flights as the military races against time to rescue citizens while a fragile ceasefire holds.

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) said “in a fast-moving situation” these were the figures at 9pm on Wednesday “with further flights to come”.

Another two RAF flights were expected to take off from the Wadi Saeedna air strip near the capital Khartoum.

Military chiefs have told Prime Minister Rishi Sunak at least 500 people a day can be airlifted and flights can continue “for as long as we need to” even if the 72-hour pause in fighting agreed between rival generals breaks.

Downing Street said the airlifts have been “full or close to full”, with no “significant issues” for evacuees.

More than 2,000 British nationals have registered in Sudan under evacuation plans, but thousands more could be in the country.

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