Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said the first flight has left Sudan and two more are expected overnight, National News reports.
The United Kingdom on Tuesday began the evacuation of its nationals trapped in Sudan.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said the first flight has left Sudan and two more are expected overnight, National News reports.
People were processed at the Wadi Saeedna airfield near Khartoum.
Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said 120 British troops were supporting the rescue mission.
More than 2,000 people were awaiting instructions from UK diplomats, Downing Street said.
British personnel were using an airfield in Cyprus as a staging post for the airlift.
Ministers have been under pressure to get the evacuations underway after a rescue mission of British diplomats was completed at the weekend.
European allies have already removed hundreds of citizens. Germany said its rescue flights would end for the time being after 490 people were airlifted out during five trips to Jordan.
The people rescued on German planes included 90 Canadians and 40 people from the Netherlands, the foreign ministry in Berlin said.
The UK’s Foreign Office warned that the ability to carry out evacuations could change at short notice during a “volatile” 72-hour truce.
It told citizens they will have to make their own way to the airbase and not to travel there unless they are contacted directly.
A Royal Air Force C-130 transport carrier was seen on flight trackers flying from north of Khartoum to the UK’s Akrotiri airfield in Cyprus. It can carry about 100 passengers at a time.
Mr Wallace told MPs on Tuesday that Royal Marines are scoping out a possible seaborne evacuation from the more “benign environment” of Port Sudan, some 800 kilometres from the capital.
British passport holders were being evacuated on a priority basis. Families with children, the elderly and people with medical conditions were due to leave first.
Sudan has been affected by widespread internet and phone network interruptions as deadly clashes between the military and paramilitary forces continue to escalate.
Internet connectivity has been partially restored, including the reconnection of state provider Sudatel, but remains intermittent.
“I pay tribute to the British Armed Forces, diplomats and Border Force staff carrying out this complex operation,” Sunak said.
He said Britain would work to “end the bloodshed” in Sudan and support a democratic government.
Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said the ceasefire made it possible to arrange the airlift of UK nationals.
“Over the last few days, we have been doing extensive planning across government departments and with our international partners to take advantage of any improvement in the situation and begin the evacuation of British nationals in Sudan,” he told Sky News.
“I’m very pleased that a ceasefire has been announced by the leadership of the factions on the ground and therefore we are continuing with an evacuation plan.”
Cleverly said he had spoken to the leaders of warring factions to assist the evacuation on Tuesday of British citizens from the North African country.
“I’ve spoken, either directly or through intermediaries, with the leaders of the factions on the ground, calling for them to allow British nationals, dual nationals and minors to be evacuated, and we will continue to push for the maintenance of this ceasefire,” he said.
Dear Readers, Good and credible news reportage is tedious task and requires huge finances.
We are soliciting your Noble support for as low as N1,000 your support would go a long way in assisting us to continue to guarantee our readers quality news.
Bank transfers can be made to:
Account Name: Harvest and Commercial
Bank: Sterling Bank
Account Number: 0078627735