AN EMERGENCY Cobra meeting on the crisis in Sudan will be held today as warships are prepped to save trapped UK nationals.
The crunch meeting will take place in Whitehall while military chiefs draw up plans to rescue between 2,000 – 4,000 Brits believed to be stuck in the war-torn state.
Soldiers evacuate French citizens, as part of the “Operation Sagittaire” evacuation by the French army, in Khartoum, Sudan
A drone view shows smoke rising over the Khartoum North Light Industrial Area, in Bahri, Sudan
Two ships, the RFA Cardigan Bay and HMS Lancaster, are being prepared for a major rescue mission off Port Sudan.
Other states have already started using the Red Sea port to rescue their citizens.
The two British vessels are already in the Middle East for military exercises and would take around three days to arrive in Sudan.
A Downing Street spokesperson said: “We will pull every lever possible to help bring about a ceasefire and equally to support British nationals.
“We are working round the clock to support those who are remaining.”
This morning development minister Andrew Mitchell told Radio 4 that he “cannot give any assurances” on getting out the remaining Brits.
Desperate to survive after other nations managed to rescue their citizens, some Brits have allegedly been forced to kill their own pets to save the poor animals from starving.
Mitchell told Radio 4: “I recognise that there will be some of our citizens who are very well informed and understand the situation locally extremely well who may decide to take other options, but they do so at their own risk.”
The Foreign Office said in a statement: “The safety of all British nationals in Sudan continues to be our utmost priority.
“We are working alongside international partners and doing all we can to ensure the safe passage of our citizens in what remains a very challenging context.
“The FCDO continues to run a 24/7 crisis operation to provide support to British Nationals and their families.”
UK diplomats were evacuated by British Special Forces over the weekend, with Secretary of State for Defence Ben Wallace citing 1,200 military personnel taking part in the daring mission.
But many have criticised the quick rescue of diplomats while citizens are left to sit at home while waiting for further instructions.
A bloody power struggle has led to the heavy bombardment of Sudan’s capital city Khartoum.
It left 400 dead and 3,500 injured.
Battles have been raging for a week between troops loyal to ruler Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and rebels led by Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo — said to be backed by Russia’s Wagner mercenaries.
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