German military planes evacuate more than 400 from Sudan

Four German air force planes have evacuated more than 400 people from Sudan as of Monday, as countries rush to get their citizens out of Khartoum while a shaky ceasefire held in the Sudanese capital.

Sudan's sudden slide into conflict between the army and a paramilitary group called Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has stranded thousands of foreigners, including diplomats and aid workers.

The Luftwaffe has flown out more than 300 people so far from an airfield near Khartoum, according to German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, adding these included citizens from Germany, Belgium, Britain, the Netherlands, Jordan and the US.

German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius said another plane currently airborne was scheduled to land in Germany later on Monday and would bring the tally to more than 400.

Baerbock said there were currently efforts to get the remaining German citizens out of the country, including by sea, without disclosing further details.

The German military did not provide a breakdown of how many of those evacuated were German citizens or nationals from other countries.

The fighting in Sudan has triggered a humanitarian crisis in the impoverished country, where millions of people have been left without access to basic services.

At least 420 people have been killed since the fighting broke out on April 15, four years after long-ruling autocrat Omar al-Bashir was toppled.

The army and RSF jointly staged a coup in 2021 but fell out during negotiations to integrate the two groups and form a civilian government, and their rivalry has raised the risk of a wider conflict that could draw in outside powers.