An operation to evacuate individuals from Sudan was “extremely successful,” according to a government minister.
British expatriates have missed the deadline to reach an airstrip north of Khartoum for the UK’s final rescue flights.
Andrew Mitchell, minister of the Foreign Office, stated, “We cannot remain in such perilous conditions forever.”
Following a government U-turn, physicians from the National Health Service can now board evacuation flights out of Sudan.
Since violence between rival army factions engulfed Sudan two weeks ago, tens of thousands of people have fled the country.
It is believed that the death toll is significantly higher than the most recent official figure of 459, and the United Nations fears that tens of thousands may be displaced if the conflict persists.
Saturday’s airstrikes indicate that a 72-hour ceasefire between the rival factions, which followed international diplomatic efforts, did not hold.
Former Sudanese Prime Minister Omar al-Bashir has warned that the conflict could become worse than Syria and Libya.
The administration reported 1,650 Khartoum evacuations and 1,000 UK flights.
Other nations have urgently evacuated their citizens by boat and bus, while others have escaped via unofficial routes.
The British government, which began evacuating its citizens on Tuesday, was criticized for not reacting swiftly enough after other European countries had already rescued hundreds.
After fighting broke out around the British embassy in Khartoum over the weekend, special forces soldiers were dispatched to evacuate British diplomats, but it took several days before British passport holders could be rescued.
Mr. Mitchell told that the termination of the evacuation flights was appropriate.
“I don’t believe there is a single British citizen in Khartoum who is unaware of the evacuation, and the number of people arriving at the airport confirms this,” he told.
Mr. Mitchell characterized the situation at the Wadi Seidna airfield as “extremely dangerous” about a Turkish evacuation aircraft that was fired upon while landing.
He stated that the British government was “exploring every single option to assist British citizens caught in this terrible crisis.”
He added that he was concerned that the situation could become “extremely grave” if a permanent ceasefire was not reached.
“The entire international system is examining ways to stop this fighting,” he said, “which is essentially two generals fighting for power.”
Millions of people remain trapped in Khartoum, where food, water, and fuel are in limited supply.
The Ministry of Defence has announced that flights will continue to depart Sudan until all evacuees who registered at the airport before the deadline of noon local time (11:00 BST) have been transported.
It has now established an office in Port Sudan to assist British nationals attempting to escape the country.
A British ship, the RFA Cardigan Bay, is en route to the east coast of Sudan.
Ben Wallace, secretary of Defence, stated earlier this week that it could be used in future evacuation or humanitarian missions.
Despite having UK work permits, over 20 NHS physicians were initially denied flights due to their non-British citizenship.
The plight of Sudanese physician Dr. Abdulrahman Babiker prompted a change of heart. He was visiting relatives in Sudan for Eid when violence broke out.
He was initially denied a spot on a British evacuation flight. But after media coverage and contact with his representative, the criteria were expanded and he was permitted to board. He arrived in the United Kingdom on Saturday afternoon.
