LARNACA, Cyprus (Reuters) – Britain ramped up an airlift of its citizens out of war-torn Sudan to Cyprus on Wednesday, racing to evacuate as many as possible in a 72-hour ceasefire window.
Britain began the large-scale evacuation on Tuesday, following other nations in pulling people out of Sudan where clashes between the army and the RSF paramilitary group have killed at least 459 people since April 15.
At least 240 Britons arrived from Sudan to Larnaca in Cyprus overnight to early Wednesday.
Diplomats said that about 170 individuals who had arrived overnight to the east Mediterranean island had already been placed on a repatriation flight to the UK. Another 150 people were due on an early afternoon flight, diplomats said, and more flights were expected during the day.
The British government has estimated that around 4,000 Britons were stuck in Sudan.
“The effort is for a smooth operation for people arriving, then leaving as soon as possible,” said Theodoros Gotsis, a spokesperson for Cyprus’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The fighting between the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) and paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has turned residential areas into battlefields and destroyed hospitals.
Both parties agreed to a 72-hour ceasefire beginning on Tuesday after negotiations mediated by the United States and Saudi Arabia.
(Reporting By Michele Kambas; Editing by Peter Graff)
