Sudan Briton criticises UK evacuation response

Sami Hikmet, from Surrey, thinks more should have been done by the UK government to evacuate people

A British-Sudanese man who fled Khartoum has criticised the UK government's response in evacuating citizens from the country.

Sami Hikmet, from Surrey, said the British took "too long" to start evacuating.

In contrast, he described the French and German embassies as "outstanding".

A government spokesperson said British nationals in Sudan continued to be their "utmost priority".

Following violent clashes, Mr Hikmet managed to escape Khartoum on Sunday by taking a flight on a French military plane to Djibouti. The day after, he got a flight to London via Dubai.

"I actually cried in Terminal Three at Heathrow when I came in," he said. "I just broke down."

Mr Hikmet had been working as a radio presenter in Khartoum for four years

Now home in Beacon Hill, he has criticised the UK government's evacuation response - particularly their communication.

"There was no communication from the British to us. They only posted on Twitter on the seventh day to go and register your location," he said.

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Sami Hikmet got a flight out of Khartoum on a French military plane on the second day of the ceasefire

Mr Hikmet said British nationals were having to make their way through "dangerous war-torn areas".

He also questioned why the UK had not sent convoys.

He said: “What is the point of asking people their locations if they are not going to try and get to them?

"They say on one hand that they advise people to stay indoors and on the other to make their own way to the airstrip.

“They don’t want to take the responsibility if something bad happening to them."

Mr Hikmet still has family and a girlfriend back in Sudan

A UK government spokesperson said: “Our evacuation of British nationals has already brought more than 300 people to safety, with more flights planned.

"British nationals in Sudan continue to be our utmost priority and we urge everyone to continue to follow our travel advice.”

Home Secretary Suella Braverman - who described the situation as "fast-moving and complex" - said the government was focused on supporting British nationals and their dependents.