…By Henry George for TDPel Media.
The first flight carrying British nationals evacuated from Sudan landed at Stansted Airport on Wednesday afternoon.
Thousands more are facing a desperate scramble to escape the war-torn country amid reports of sniper fire on some roads.
A third RAF evacuation flight landed in Cyprus on Wednesday morning with at least three more planned for the day.
The first flight landed at Stansted about 2:30 pm.
However, Britons and dual nationals on the ground described making “perilous” trips to safety on their own.
Many have struggled to travel to the airfield north of Khartoum where evacuation flights are taking place before a 72-hour ceasefire ends.
Problems navigating trips to escape points have been compounded by petrol shortages.
It comes as criticism of the Government’s “slow” response to the crisis grew.
Home Secretary Suella Braverman said between 200 and 300 British nationals had already been taken out of the country in three rescue missions.
But Chair of the Defence Select Committee Tobias Ellwood said he had heard from one of his constituents who had to make her own “perilous journey” to Port Sudan.
The senior Tory MP called for the UK embassy to be moved to Port Sudan on the Red Sea in a show of support.
“We must show Sudan, the many British expats and dual passport holders there, that as a member of the United Nations Security Council we will not just leave them,” he said.
“We cannot let this turn into another Libya or Somalia.”
Despite the apparent ceasefire between the army and the rival paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), the couple have reported gunfire and shelling.
Each time relatives have tried to reach them “they’ve been shot at by snipers”.
British military and diplomatic chiefs are understood to be planning at least three more flights out of the country today as the first evacuees were expected to arrive in London.
More than 2,000 British citizens have registered in Sudan with the Foreign Office.
British warship, HMS Lancaster, was also set to arrive off the coast of Sudan with RFA Cardigan Bay.
Port Sudan could be used for evacuations if the 72-hour ceasefire between warring factions in Sudan collapses and prevents evacuation flights.
It could also later be used to bring in supplies to tackle a feared humanitarian crisis.
Ms Braverman said: “We are now commencing an extensive operation, working with over 1,000 personnel from the RAF and the armed forces.”
Announcing the completion of Germany’s evacuation efforts, the country’s foreign minister Annalena Baerbock said Berlin would not leave civilians “to their own devices”, in an apparent swipe at the UK’s approach.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said it was “right” that diplomats were prioritised “because they were being targeted”.
British forces are expected to take over control of running Wadi Saeedna airstrip from German troops.
Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said 120 British troops have already been supporting the operation there.