British troops have flown into eastern Sudan as the government considers its options to evacuate thousands of British nationals stranded in the war-torn country, The Independent understands.

The soldiers are believed to have landed at Port Sudan on the Red Sea, around 500 miles from the Sudanese capital Khartoum, Sky News first reported on Monday.

The arrival of troops not mean an overarching rescue plan has yet been agreed, however, with Rishi Sunak’s government still working through “every single possible option” to get Britons out of the country.

Ministers held another emergency Cobra meeting on the Sudan crisis on Monday afternoon, as pressure grows on the government to help British nationals trapped in the war-torn country.

Downing Street said “all avenues” are being explored over how to rescue at least 2,000 UK citizens, without detailing what further action could be taken.

Britons stranded in Sudan continue to be advised to shelter in place, register their information with the Foreign Office and await further instructions, while people from other European nations have been flown to safety.

Mr Sunak’s official spokesman said the government was "working around the clock" to support those stuck in Sudan. All “diplomatic avenues”, including in Sudan and with neighbouring countries, are being pursued, No 10 said.

He declined to comment on a report by The Times that two British warships could be heading to Port Sudan to assist with evacuations, with the paper saying it could take several days for them to arrive.

Some in Sudan said they felt “abandoned” after diplomats were rescued and were organising their own, dangerous private evacuations – with senior MPs urging the government to tell trapped Britons whether an evacuation plan was under way.

Foreign Office minister Andrew Mitchell said the government is doing “everything we can” to get British nationals out, but dampened hopes of it happening before a ceasefire.

Mr Mitchell said British nationals could “exercise their own judgment” on whether to relocate within war-torn Sudan – but said they do so at their own risk. “We continue to advise all British nationals in Sudan to stay indoors wherever possible,” he told the Commons.

The development minister added: “We recognise circumstances will vary in different locations across Sudan, so we are now asking British nationals to exercise their own judgment about their circumstances – including whether to relocate – but they do so at their own risk.”

Earlier, Mr Mitchell defended the prioritisation of embassy staff, saying there had been “a very specific threat to the diplomatic community” in the capital Khartoum.

Senior Tory MP Alicia Kearns said lesson had not been learned from the chaotic evacuation from Afghanistan – urging Foreign Office to tell Britons in Sudan as soon as possible whether there would be an evacuation.

The chair of the foreign affairs select committee said it was unacceptable that UK nationals stuck in Sudan registered with the Foreign Office had gotten just two automated messages in the past week.

“That would suggest no lessons have been learned from Afghanistan and I have urged the government to make sure they are communicating regularly with British nationals,” she told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme.

Ms Kearns added: “We have a moral obligation to tell British nationals as soon as possible that is the judgment that has been made, because they then need to make their own decisions,” she said.

Senior Tory MP Tobias Ellwood, chairman of the defence select committee, called for a “clear cut plan” to evacuate British citizens out of Sudan, with the official advice still to stay indoors.

Mr Ellwood said: “If that plan does not emerge today, then individuals will then lose faith and then start making their own way back”. He added that uncertainty could lead to “some very difficult situations”.

The senior Tory MP told the BBC’s World At One programme: “We must use our influence to speak to both sides, making it very clear that there needs to be a 12-hour ceasefire so we can get our people out.”

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer urged the government to move quickly to help British nationals, telling journalists in south London: “There’s deep concern about those that are still there and in fear and real concern about what’s going to happen to them.”

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