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Anxious evacuees wait for flights out of Sudan

A picture taken on April 30, 2023, shows members of the US military assisting US nationals fleeing war-torn Sudan in boarding an evacuation vessel in Port Sudan   -  
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Sudan

More UK citizens gathered in Port Sudan on Monday to board British military planes travelling to Larnaca, Cyprus.

Many of the evacuees looked exhausted after fleeing days of fighting in Khartoum.

"I feel very selfish and privileged, it's like a mix between guilt and relief to be on this flight," medical student Mishkat told British broadcaster, Sky news.

Mishkat was flying to the UK to be with her parents, but had to leave her cousins behind.

Rescue missions were moved to Port Sudan from Wadi Seidna military air base after a Turkish military plane came under fire as it was about to land.

The plane was targeted after straying from the planned flight route, a senior military commander told Sky News.

Evacuees said the journey to the airfield was already dangerous as the route from central Khartoum passed through many Rapid Support Forces checkpoints.

A group of Turkish students and residents braved the journey to the air base, but to no avail.

They slept at the at the airport mosque for three nights waiting for a flight.

Turkish student Raid Jaafar called on the embassy to "clarify their plans for further evacuation".