Brits trapped in Sudan feel 'abandoned' and 'failed' by government

The paramilitary group fighting the army in Sudan has agreed to a 'complete ceasefire' for 72 hours - as the US confirms one of its citizens has died. ITV News' Sejal Karia reports

A British national trapped in Sudan claims she has been 'failed' by the UK government and is getting no help to return home after becoming trapped by escalating conflict.

Khalood Khair is in the capital Khartoum for work, and has been stuck ever since violence between the army and paramilitary forces broke out.

She said: "There is, I think, a failure in, the British government system to, one, recognise early enough where spots of crisis are, and then two, to respond to that in any sort of efficient manner."

She added: "So for example, where we have seen the Japanese government, the Dutch government, the German government, and the American government making plans, bringing military aircraft that can carry and evacuate people - we haven't heard of anything like that from the British government."

Late Friday evening, the Foreign Office said it was not commenting on reports of a military evacuation.

A UK government spokesman said: “We are coordinating across government and with our international partners to provide the best ongoing consular assistance to British nationals and support for our diplomatic staff.

“We will continue to issue updates as the situation develops.

“The Ministry of Defence is supporting the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office with prudent planning for various contingencies.”

The Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office advice to British nationals in Sudan remains the same, urging them to register their presence with the department and to stay indoors.

The US confirmed one of its citizens had died during the six-day conflict.

Paramilitary forces fighting the army in Sudan earlier agreed to a "complete ceasefire" for 72 hours.

Members of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) agreed to stop the fighting on humanitarian grounds, as Muslims celebrate the end of Ramadan.

The pause in fighting comes after more than 330 people have been killed and another 3,500 wounded.

That includes at least nine children killed and 50 wounded in the fighting, according to the UN children’s fund.

'I felt terrified I might lose my life': As severe shortages of food, water and medicine loom, people are desperate to leave

The only way out for citizens in Khartoum is by risking their lives either on foot or by car.

It is hoped that the break in hostilities will allow for humanitarian corridors to be opened up, allowing for civilians to be evacuated and the wounded to be treated.

However, there has been no response from the military regarding the ceasefire. Such proposed pauses in the fighting have repeatedly collapsed over the past week.

In his first speech since the conflict engulfed Sudan nearly a week ago, army chief Abdel Fattah Burhan pledged that the military would prevail and secure the vast African nation's “safe transition to civilian rule.”

But for many Sudanese, Burhan's claims rang hollow 18 months after he joined forces with his current rival to seize power in a coup that cast aside Sudan's pro-democracy forces.

Explosions have rocked Khartoum following frenzied international calls for a holiday cease-fire.

“We are confident that we will overcome this ordeal with our training, wisdom and strength,” Burhan said, vowing to preserve “the security and unity of the state.”

The Sudanese military a day earlier ruled out negotiations with the RSF, saying it would only accept its surrender.

The military claimed it had moved past the phase of defending its positions and was now clearing RSF positions from around Khartoum.

The two generals vying for control over the vast African nation are also vying for acceptance by foreign powers, which have expressed support for Sudanese seeking a transition to civilian rule.

Both Burhan and his rival, RSF chief Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo, have tried to portray themselves as supporters of democracy.

In 2019, they turned against long-time autocrat Omar al-Bashir and pushed him out of power amid a popular uprising against his rule.

But since then, they have failed to implement agreements under which they would hand over power.

The current explosion of violence between them came after Burhan and Dagalo fell out over a recent internationally brokered deal with democracy activists that was meant to incorporate the RSF into the military and eventually lead to civilian rule.

How have other nations reacted to the fighting?

Foreign Secretary James Cleverly cut short his Pacific tour to return to Britain and deal with the deteriorating situation.

Staff at the British Council's Sudan office have been evacuated with a statement confirming that "all colleagues who were in our office are now home."

The US and other countries are preparing to evacuate their citizens from Sudan - a prospect made more challenging due to major airports becoming battlegrounds.

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said her country was preparing for an evacuation “when we have a cease-fire that holds for at least some time.”

Spain has air force planes ready but it’s ”not possible to predict” when an evacuation can occur, its Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares said.

The High Commission said Mr Cleverly will continue overseeing the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office response to the violence in Sudan by providing support to staff on the ground and consular services for British nationals.

Britain has historic ties to Sudan. In an unusual arrangement, Britain and Egypt jointly ruled Sudan from 1899 until it gained independence in 1956, but Sudan is not among the group of 56 Commonwealth nations.

Downing Street confirmed that Prime Minister Rishi Sunak had spoken to the president of Djibouti, Ismail Omar Guelleh, on Friday to discuss the situation in Sudan.

A No 10 spokesman said: “President Guelleh updated on his discussions with the parties in Sudan and both leaders reiterated calls for an immediate cessation of hostilities and a return to talks.

“They agreed that the United Kingdom and Djibouti would continue to co-ordinate efforts to de-escalate the violence and protect civilians, including our citizens.”

Fears are mounting that the chaos in the strategically located nation could draw in its neighbours, including Chad, Egypt and Libya.

The spokesperson for the WHO, Margaret Harris, told reporters in Geneva that the violence has forced 20 health facilities nationwide to halt operations.

A dozen other hospitals are at risk of shutting down, threatening some 50,000 severely malnourished children in Sudan who are administered regular feeding by tubes to survive, according to UNICEF.

The military and RSF have a long history of human rights abuses in Sudan. The RSF was born out of the Janjaweed militias, which were accused of widespread atrocities when the government deployed them to put down a rebellion in Sudan’s western Darfur region in the early 2000s.

“It's really hard to remain calm,” said Abdelmoniem, describing shortages of fuel, medicine, cash and food causing desperation in much of Khartoum.

“People are telling me, ‘Happy Eid," she added. "But then I turn on the news.”

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