Sudan violence: Family must 'move today' to escape Sudan violence

A Scottish teacher stranded in Sudan with her husband and four children must leave her home today, with or without help from the UK government.

Jennifer McLellan is awaiting contact from officials as the UK begins a "large-scale" complex evacuation of British people from the country.

But her uncle, Donald Gillies, said they had a back-up plan so they could escape within the next 24 hours.

Rival military factions agreed to a 72-hour ceasefire from Monday night.

At least 400 people have been killed in fighting since 15 April.

On Tuesday Prime Minister Rishi Sunak confirmed families with children, the elderly and people with medical conditions will be prioritised on RAF flights leaving from an airfield near the capital Khartoum.

Around 4,000 UK citizens are thought to be in Sudan and 2,000 of them have already requested help, Foreign Office minister Andrew Mitchell said on Monday.

Only British passport holders and their immediate family with existing UK entry clearance are eligible, the government has said.

Mr Gillies, from Islay, said his niece was facing a race against time.

He told BBC Radio's Good Morning Scotland programme: "There is a back up plan if the government don't move today.

"We feel she is going to have to move today because the situation could descend and they're right in the heart of where the fighting will come to.

"So she has to be prepared to move either way.

"We are hoping the military will go and get them and take them to the airport."

Mr Gilles confirmed Jennifer had received text contact from UK officials but was awaiting a phone call.

He added he had been in contact with his niece during the night and she was safe and "in good spirits".

But Mr Gillies criticised the UK government's response to the crisis as "shameful" and said it had been jolted into action by media coverage.

He said: "There has been a full military effort for the government staff but not the civilians that have been left behind feeling abandoned at the moment."

Mr Gillies previously told how Jennifer went to her teaching job one day and the next day the airport was bombed.

On Monday he described his niece's situation as "pretty desperate" and said the family were running low on food and water.

Romisa Albashir told Good Morning Scotland her family in Sudan had experienced the full horror of the conflict.

Ms Albashir, who lives in Aberdeen, said: "A friend of my uncle's a few days ago, for example, was going in to the one hospital that was still open.

"He was going in for dialysis. He got shot dead in the hospital.

"This is someone I have known since I was a wee girl. That's the situation they are living in."

On Monday a terrified Scottish family told of gunshots at their door, as they tried to flee the violence in Sudan.

Amar Osman from Dunfermline, who is visiting relatives near Khartoum, said the situation was "very scary".

The Red Cross said people were making "desperate attempts" to escape after more than a week of fighting there.

Mr Osman was with his wife Fatma Giha in Omdurman, near Khartoum, when the crisis started.

"They were running along my street last night shooting and chasing people," he told BBC Scotland.

"We locked all of the doors and went right in the middle of the house.

"There's people now robbing and taking chances since there's no police or armies.

"People are going into houses with guns and taking everything: phones, money, shoes. It's getting very wild."

A power struggle between Sudan's regular army and a powerful paramilitary force has led to violence across the country for more than a week.

Electricity is scarce and food and water supplies are running out for many.

The UK government evacuated embassy staff in an operation at the weekend.