We are all concerned to see reports in the news about the escalating situation in Sudan and in recent days I have been contacted by people worried for the safety of their relatives.

This morning the UK government announced they are starting evacuations to help British passport-holders leave Sudan, prioritising families with children, older people and those with medical conditions.

UK military flights are due to depart from an airfield outside Khartoum, supported by senior diplomats from the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office. The FCDO continues to advise against all travel to Sudan.

If you are a British national in Sudan and have registered your presence in Sudan – the latest advice from the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office is that they will try to contact you and you do not need to contact them again. British nationals should not make their way to the airfield unless called to do so.

If you have not registered your presence in Sudan yet please use this link.

You will be asked to provide:

• Your name and location in Sudan
• Your contact details
• If the security environment allows, whether you would want to leave or remain in Sudan

Plymouth has a large Sudanese community and I regularly meet with some of their members to discuss the issues that they are facing and so I know what kind, caring people they are, and how worried they must be for their loved ones. I share their concerns about the growing violence in Sudan, and the suffering of innocent civilians. If the conflict spreads further, the risk of new mass atrocities, like those in Darfur 20 years ago, increases.

Neighbouring nations are vulnerable to spreading violence and are unable to cope with a further massive movement of refugees. The UK has a special responsibility as the pen holder for Sudan in the United Nations Security Council. We must work with partners in the UN to stop further hostilities and do all we can to end this brutal violence.

If there is anything that I can do to help and you live in Plymouth Sutton and Devonport, please get in touch by emailing me at luke.pollard.mp@parliament.uk or calling 01752 717255.