26 April 2023 , 20:55
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Families hugged loved ones rescued from Sudan as the first flight of British nationals escaping the conflict touched down on UK soil.
Some 250 Britons arrived at London Stansted Airport having flown from the capital Khartoum via Larnaca in Cyprus, including one dad pictured boarding holding his two girls’ hands.
They were part of the more than 300 UK nationals helped to flee by midday.
But a further 2,000 are believed to be stranded as armed forces and a paramilitary group exchange fire.
British-Sudanese father-of-three Munzir Salman was aboard the flight from Larnaca with his children.
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He described the scenes as the Sudanese army was ambushed by Rapid Support Forces outside his block of flats.
Mr Salman said: “They were shooting at each other, I was in the middle.
Relieved families arriving on flight from Cyprus (PA)“It was horrendous and, unfortunately, it’s not the first time I’ve had gunshots around me.
“I’m a single father of three kids so I had to stay calm for them. I had to tell them it was like a hide-and-seek game. I explained the danger before trying to make it like Tom and Jerry where the people outside were Tom and we were Jerry.”
Brigadier Dan Reeve, the officer commanding the UK rescue mission, said one British family on holiday in Sudan witnessed the sudden outbreak of conflict in Khartoum.
He said: “They described the situation which turned from nothing to the use of artillery within 45 minutes.
“They went on to describe a sense that, in many cases with young fighters involved in the conflict, it was almost to them like a game of Call of Duty where they were taking potshots at anyone.”
Samar Eltayeb, 20, from BirminghamBritish nationals have faced dangerous journeys to the Wadi Saeedna airstrip, 20 miles from the capital, hoping to escape. Foreign Secretary James Cleverly has told them they must make their own way to the exit point.
A Birmingham-born student has told how she does not have enough fuel to drive to the airstrip.
Samar Eltayeb, 20, said: “The petrol stations are empty.
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“There’ll be constant flights within the next few days, but if I can’t find petrol to get there, then I’m stuck.”
The third-year medical student at Sudan’s National University said her family were worried about her,.
She added: “Especially the little ones who keep calling me, saying ‘oh Samar, are you okay? Are you gonna die?’
“A lot of people are kind of just doomed. There’s no way they can escape. They’re suffering and they have no water, electricity and no wifi.
“Buildings have just been destroyed by missiles. I’m afraid that I’m never going to see Khartoum again.”