UK begins evacuation of British citizens from Sudan

By Burak Bir

LONDON (AA) - The UK has begun evacuating stranded British nationals from Sudan, where fighting between the Sudanese army and paramilitary Rapid Support has left hundreds of people dead.

"The Government has begun a large-scale evacuation of British passport holders from Sudan on RAF (Royal Air Force) flights. Priority will be given to the most vulnerable, including families with children and the elderly," Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said on Twitter.

The UK will continue to work to end the deadly conflict in Sudan and support a democratic government, he added.

Foreign Office Minister Andrew Mitchell said on Monday that some 4,000 UK citizens live in Sudan while 2,000 of them have already requested help.

On Sunday, the government announced that the armed forces have completed the evacuation of British diplomats and their families from Sudan.

The UK government was being criticized for leaving British citizens in Sudan while only evacuating diplomatic staff and families.

At least 427 people have been killed and over 3,700 others injured since April 15, when a conflict broke out in the capital Khartoum and other cities between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces.