LONDON: It is suspected that several Britons have been left behind in Sudan, following allegations that the country’s armed forces prevented a number of passengers from boarding the final British evacuation flights out of the country on Saturday.
The final Royal Air Force flight, four hours late, left the Wadi Saeedna airfield north of Khartoum late Saturday, bringing the total number of Britons and their relatives evacuated since Tuesday to 1,888.
The United Kingdom committed to continue supporting British citizens trapped in the war-torn country, but said conditions had become too risky to resume evacuation flights.
The Conservative chair of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee told The Observer that she had received evidence that Sudanese Armed Forces personnel had barred British citizens from arriving at an airbase north of Khartoum.
“I’ve had some messages saying that the Sudanese armed forces have been stopping people from crossing through Khartoum to get to the airstrip,” Alicia Kearns MP said.
“I believe we should investigate that and see if there is any truth to it.” If that’s the case, you have British nationals who are trapped and unable to reach the evacuation location,” she continued.
While Sudan’s armed forces continued to attack Rapid Support Forces positions, hundreds of people were told to make the perilous journey to an evacuation center at the Wadi Saeedna airbase, about 14 miles north of Khartoum.
After being accused of replicating the blunders of its disorderly withdrawal from Afghanistan, the UK government denies abandoning anyone in Sudan.
Heavy violence raged in Khartoum on Sunday, as Sudan’s former Premier Abdalla Hamdok warned of the “nightmare” danger of a full-fledged civil war.
