The British Ministry of Defense has rejected allegations that the German evacuation mission in Sudan was delayed by idiosyncratic action. The BBC had previously reported, citing high-ranking German political sources, that the British military had landed at the airfield near the capital Khartoum over the weekend without the consent of the Sudanese army. The hosts were so upset that they initially blocked access, the report said. Half a day was lost as a result.
“It is incorrect to suggest that British efforts to evacuate embassy staff over the weekend slowed down German plans,” the Defense Ministry said in a statement in London on Thursday. They worked “extremely closely” with the French, US and especially German partners and are grateful to the Sudanese armed forces. The allegations in London were described as “complete nonsense”. Defense circles said they probably had permission from the Sudanese army.
At a joint press conference with Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock on Monday, Federal Defense Minister Boris Pistorius pointed out that individual nations are proceeding differently. The US has benefited from its increased presence in the region, he said. “And the British were ultimately so early because, how shall I put it, they diplomatically disregarded what the Sudanese had said.”
While the German evacuation mission has already ended for the time being, British flights from Khartoum were still planned for Thursday. However, Britain’s Foreign Secretary James Cleverly warned it was not certain flights would be able to continue beyond the end of the 72-hour ceasefire on Thursday evening.
BBC report tweet by James Cleverly