Some countries are encouraging people to head overland to the Port of Sudan for an evacuation by sea, such as ships that recently returned from Sudan.

Several countries have evacuated diplomats and citizens from Sudan’s capital as fierce fighting continues to rage in Khartoum.

The U.S. and U.K. announced they have flown diplomats out of the country.

France, Germany and Italy are among other countries also organising evacuations.

The United Nations has warned that up to 20,000 people – mostly women and children – have fled Sudan to seek safety in Chad, across the border from Darfur.

U.S. special forces troops have evacuated all American government workers, their families, and a small number of diplomatic staff from other countries from the fighting in Sudan, in an operation that flew into the capital Khartoum by helicopter, involved over a hundred soldiers, and is said to have lasted only an hour.

Some countries are encouraging people to head overland to the Port of Sudan for an evacuation by sea, such as ships that recently returned from Sudan.

The U.S. says it may deploy navy assets to the port to assist Americans arriving there, but has warned it’s a dangerous journey and previously said it would not coordinate evacuations for what it calls “private individuals.”

Other Western countries are expected to send planes for their citizens but it’s not certain when they may arrive.