Sudan fighting live news: Army says foreign evacuations to begin

The Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) says it is coordinating efforts to evacuate diplomats from the United States, Britain, China and France out of the country on military aeroplanes.

Army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan said he has spoken to leaders of several countries requesting safe evacuations of their citizens. The main international airport in the capital Khartoum, however, has been the target of heavy shelling, and military aircraft will be needed.

Saudi nationals and others evacuated from Sudan have arrived by sea in the port city of Jeddah in the first announced evacuation since fighting broke out, Saudi state television reported.

“The first evacuation vessel from Sudan has arrived, carrying 50 [Saudi] citizens and a number of nationals from friendly countries,” the official Al-Ekhbariyah television said.

The ship docked at the Red Sea port where four other ships with 108 people of 11 different nationalities were expected to arrive later from Sudan, the broadcaster said.