British nationals stuck in Sudan war; government trying to evacuate
Foreign Secretary James Cleverly has announced that UK help for Britons abandoned in Sudan war will remain “severely limited” until a truce is reached.
He said British envoys and their families had been evacuated from Sudan in a “difficult and rapid” process.
British nationals stuck in Sudan war feel abandoned by the UK:
Yet, some British nationals still in the country have felt abandoned by the UK government.
War in Sudan between two rival forces has seen fatal shootings and shelling in Khartoum’s capital. Mr Cleverly said “clear threats and violence led towards diplomats” led to the decision to evacuate the team.
He said the UK government stayed “absolutely dedicated to supporting” Britons in Sudan but continued that without ending the fighting; ministers were “severely limited in our power to help British nationals”.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak even said work was continuing to assure the security of Britons who remained in the country.
The force struggle that arose last week between Sudan’s regular troops and a paramilitary force called the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has also impacted other areas of the country, leading to a growing humanitarian predicament.
Electricity is lacking, and food and water reserves are running out for many.
Sam, a British businessman in Sudan, told the BBC that word of the UK evacuation at the weekend “gave us hope, but in the lack of any details from the government, this was a solution for diplomats only.”
He explained the situation as a “suffering for those left behind”. He stated he knew many people from other nations, such as Hungary and South Africa, whose embassies were preparing to evacuate nationals.
Another UK resident in Sudan, William, described a messy situation as he opted to flee Khartoum on a bus – arranged by his Sudanese employer – to take him and other citizens to Egypt.
