Calls for Britons trapped in war-torn Sudan, including NHS doctors, to be helped after diplomats rescued
Britain’s Sudanese community is demanding the government does more to help bring their relatives – including NHS doctors – back from Sudan.
Two planes were sent out from RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus to evacuate UK diplomats and their families from Khartoum – but other British citizens have not yet received support to leave the country.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said the evacuation of the diplomats and their dependents was “complex and rapid” and followed threats to embassy staff in the capital.
More than 400 people have died and thousands have been injured in a bloody conflict between the Sudanese army and a powerful paramilitary group known as the Rapid Support Forces.
NHS medics are some of those caught up in the violence.
The Sudanese Junior Doctors Association UK (SJDA-UK) said it was aware of 71 Sudanese NHS doctors currently trapped in Sudan “because of the ongoing conflict”.
It tweeted: “We are concerned for their safety and the safety of their spouses and children.”
About half of those doctors are believed to be British nationals.
Dr Shaza Faycal says NHS doctors are ‘trapped’ in Sudan with their families
Dr Shaza Faycal’s young children, brother and mother are in Khartoum and trying to return to the UK after travelling to Sudan for a holiday to celebrate Eid.
Dr Faycal, a trustee of SJDA-UK, said she was “quite stressed”, adding: “It’s literally war happening there. What we would like to see is all NHS doctors who are now trapped there with their families to be evacuated, as a form of priority.”
Despite the rain and the crowds that gathered for the London Marathon, Sudanese protesters defiantly gathered outside Downing Street to try to put pressure on the government to help British citizens who are stranded in the country.
Mohammed Baraka, one of the demonstrators, said: “All my family is in Sudan and they are in a very serious condition.
“I’ve been speaking to my younger brother, he is literally imprisoned in his apartment – no electricity, no water supply and this morning the internet supply was disconnected.”
He added: “We want this war to stop now, and I mean now. If this war continues, Sudan will be finished.”
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UK ‘committed’ to help Brits in Sudan
Mohamed Babikir also told Sky News he is anxiously waiting to hear from his wife who is with their two-year-old daughter in Sudan.
He said he did not understand why diplomats were being helped to flee the conflict while ordinary people were being left behind.
“My daughter is a British citizen. Her mum is Sudanese. I haven’t talked to them since the first day of the war. I am really concerned about them.”
The Foreign Office has not yet confirmed how many British citizens are in Sudan but it is thought there are hundreds.
Read more:
How elite team of British troops evacuated UK diplomats from warzone capital
British-Sudanese woman trapped by deadly clashes in Khartoum tells of harrowing ordeal
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Brit in Sudan: ‘We feel we need to get out’
Foreign Secretary James Cleverly chaired a sixth Sudan Cobra session on Sunday night to discuss the “escalation” of violence in the African nation.
Mr Cleverly said the government remained “absolutely committed to supporting” Britons in the country.
But he said that until a ceasefire is reached, ministers were “severely limited in our ability to provide assistance to British nationals”.
Senior opposition MPs said they are “deeply concerned” about the welfare of British nationals still in Sudan.
In a joint statement, shadow foreign secretary David Lammy and shadow defence secretary John Healey said: “We need to know about government plans to help them and the steps the UK is taking to support an immediate ceasefire.”
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British passports don’t guarantee evacuations, says former security officer
Their comments came after the Irish government said it planned to send a team to Sudan to evacuate Irish citizens.
France, Greece and other European countries have said they are organising evacuations for embassy employees and nationals, along with some citizens of allied countries.
US special forces also evacuated about 70 of its staff from Khartoum on Sunday but Washington has said it remains too dangerous to carry out an evacuation of citizens.
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The official advice for UK nationals in Sudan is to register their presence with the Foreign Office and to stay indoors.
Mr Cleverly said: ”I would say to British nationals in the region – please register with us.
“We have circulated a link so we know who is there, where they are, so if an opportunity arises, we can find a way of helping them.”
A “technical issue” at British Airways has delayed flights, reportedly for thousands of passengers.
Travel journalist Simon Calder said on X: “British Airways IT system failure is causing delays of 1-2 hours on many BA flights this evening… As delays build up I fear there will be cancellations tonight/tomorrow.”
In a statement on Monday evening, British Airways said flights were “currently operating, but are experiencing delays” and that its teams were working to “resolve a technical issue affecting some of our systems”.
Later they said it had been resolved: “Our teams worked hard to resolve an issue we experienced for a short time earlier this evening.
“We’ve apologised to customers for delays to their flights and ensured they were able to reach their destinations as planned.”
Earlier media reports suggested dozens of flights were grounded and that communications systems were affected.
One X user pictured people queueing on the tarmac in Verona, Italy. “What has happened to the nations airline? Not fit for purpose,” they said.
Replying to another X user BA said: “Our website is down. We are doing all we can to return online as soon as possible.
“Hopefully not too long before the Captain has his load sheet. Thanks for your understanding. Have a good journey when it is safe for you to be airborne.”
A spokesperson for Heathrow Airport said: “We are aware of a technical issue that British Airways are investigating, and we will be working with them to provide updates to passengers as soon as they are available. Heathrow systems are operating as normal.”
In June many British Airways (BA) flights in Heathrow were delayed by several hours by a “technical fault” with baggage handling.
BA said there had been a “temporary technical fault” which had disrupted its baggage system at the airport and had apologised for the problems it caused.
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In January “intermittent issues” with the airline’s app and website meant customers could not access them.
BA’s customer score for long-haul flights was the joint third lowest out of 17 carriers analysed by Which? in February.
The UK is being warned to brace for a further cold snap with “disruptive snow” set to sweep in across parts of the country as temperatures plummet.
The Met Office has issued three new yellow weather alerts for snow and ice from Monday.
The forecaster has warned up to 20cm of snow may accumulate in the worst affected areas as the country experiences its “first taste of winter”.
Check the forecast in your area
It comes as the first amber cold health alerts of the season have been issued by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) covering all of England, except the South, until 6pm on Saturday.
An amber warning is issued when the weather is likely to “cause significant impacts across health and social care services”, according to the HSA.
That includes the potential for a rise in deaths, particularly among older people or those with health conditions.
Amber cold health alerts cover most of England. Pic: UKHSA
Dr Agostinho Sousa, head of extreme events and health protection at the UKHSA, said: “It is vital to check in on vulnerable friends, family and neighbours to ensure they are well prepared for the onset of cold weather. Particularly if they are elderly or otherwise at increased risk.”
Meanwhile yellow health alerts – the second lowest alert level – are in place for the South East, South West and London.
Temperatures dropped to -7.8C (18F) in Tulloch Bridge in the Scottish Highlands in the early hours of Monday, which is the lowest temperature the UK has seen since last winter.
Snow dusted grounds across Aberdeenshire, including at Glenshee Ski Centre and at Corgarff, as well as alongside the A939 near The Lecht in the Cairngorms.
A dusting of snow at Glenshee Ski Centre. Pic: PA
Snow and ice surround The Watchers sculpture at Corgaff in Aberdeenshire. Pic: PA
Snow also blanketed the mountain of Ingleborough, while there was a sprinkling of frost near Clapham, in the Yorkshire Dales.
The snow-capped mountain of Ingleborough in the Yorkshire Dales. Pic: PA
Clapham in the Yorkshire Dales. Pic: PA
More expected in coming days
Met Office spokesperson Nicola Maxey said snow has mostly fallen on hilltops so far, with 2cm falling in Lerwick, Shetland.
But more snow and ice is expected over the coming days, with temperatures plunging to below average levels for the time of year.
“It is going to be quite a widely cold week,” Ms Maxey said. “A few degrees below average both day and night for most of the country.”
The fresh warning for Northern Ireland comes into force from 3pm today and runs until 10am on Tuesday.
The alert takes in the likes of Newry, Belfast, Omagh, Derry and Ballycastle.
The warning in Scotland comes into force from 4pm and runs until 10am on Wednesday.
The alert covers the Highlands and Islands and the northeast of the country, including Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire and Moray.
A third warning – stretching across parts of England and Wales – comes into force at 7pm and runs until 10am on Tuesday.
East Midlands, Yorkshire, and the north of England are expected to be worst hit.
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Parts of the UK are experiencing their ‘first taste of winter’, says the Met Office. File pic: PA
‘Slight chance’ communities could be cut off
Those in the impacted areas have been told power cuts are possible and mobile phone coverage might be affected.
The Met Office has said there is a “slight chance” some rural communities could be cut off and that bus and train services may be delayed or cancelled.
People have also been warned to be careful not to slip or fall on icy surfaces.
The yellow weather warnings. Pic: Met Office
Snow ‘even down to lower levels’
Tom Morgan, Met Office meteorologist, said: “We could see some disruptive snow in the Pennine regions, in particular, the Peak District as well, especially Monday night, but we could well see some impacts lasting on until Tuesday morning’s rush hour.
“Even down to lower levels, we could well see some snow as well, so quite a bit of disruption possible by Tuesday morning, and then the week ahead is likely to stay cold nationwide, a windy day on Tuesday, and then winter showers through the week ahead.”
Mr Morgan said that despite a “mild” start to the month, the cold conditions are more typical of “mid-winter to late-winter”.
“What we can say is that it’s going to be very cold for the time of year, there will be widespread overnight frosts, and a few locations where there’s snow on the ground,” he continued.
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Changes to weather warnings ‘likely’ in coming days
In southern England, a typical maximum temperature for this time of year is 11C (52F), but daytime highs for the week ahead are forecast to be around 5C (41F), while some parts of Scotland will reach “only just above freezing”, Mr Morgan said.
Mr Morgan said the public can best prepare for the wintry weather by checking their cars are suitable for icy and potentially snowy conditions and to take extra supplies including food, blankets and a fully charged mobile phone with them on journeys.
He added there were “likely” to be changes to the weather warnings in the coming days, and that “winter flurries” could be seen in the south of England later in the week.
Despite the cold conditions, the “whole of the UK” will enjoy more sunshine this week, he said.
He added: “There’ll be some snow showers in the peripheries of the UK, particularly northern Scotland, and down the east and the west coast, but if you live inland and you live in the south, there’ll be lots of sparkly blue skies on the most days through Tuesday to Friday.”
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