KHARTOUM, Sudan – Britons trapped in Sudan amidst ongoing conflict are accusing the UK government of abandonment, as diplomatic efforts to evacuate embassy staff leave hundreds of British civilians without a clear path to safety. While the UK is preparing plans for a military airlift of a dozen British diplomats and their families from the embassy in Khartoum, many diplomats have been sheltering in their homes since the violence erupted.
Trapped British civilians have criticized the embassy’s slow response, noting it took five days to receive a contact number for registering with the foreign office. One British teacher expressed frustration with the lack of action, calling the situation “ridiculous and farcical.”
Compounding the issue, the British ambassador to Sudan and his deputy were abroad when the violence began and have been unable to return, limiting the embassy’s capacity to assist those in need. One Briton in Sudan on Monday, April 24, 2023, described the situation as “tiny” and lamented the scarcity of embassy personnel to help.
The chaos has drawn comparisons to the Afghanistan evacuation in August 2021, with irritated senior figures in Whitehall expressing concern. However, ministers and Whitehall officials maintain that a wider evacuation of Britons in Sudan has not been feasible at this stage.
Feeling abandoned and without support, many British citizens in Sudan are pleading for help. “We need to get out of here, and we need help doing it,” said one stranded Briton. “It’s like we’ve been forgotten.”
The UK Foreign Office has not yet responded to requests for comment on the situation in Sudan.
