Jeddah - The violence in Sudan has made Port Sudan a critical hub, and Lyse Doucet, the BBC's Chief International Correspondent, accompanied the most recent evacuation mission to Jeddah.

‘During the night-time, HMS Al Diriyah approached the coast of Sudan as Saudi officers switched on sweeping searchlights to ensure the warship's safe passage into the harbor’, recounted Doucet. ‘This harbor is rapidly becoming a significant evacuation and humanitarian hub in the midst of Sudan's deepening crisis, continued Doucet. Two other large vessels waited offshore at Port Sudan at 2 a.m. as part of the international rescue effort. A Pakistani national, visibly shaken, expressed his relief and sadness at being a part of this historic event.

After a 10-hour overnight journey from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, aboard HMS Al Diriyah, we arrived at the quayside in a Saudi tugboat. A small group of foreign journalists, including us, were granted rare access to Sudan, albeit briefly, during these tumultuous times.

"People will be talking about these events for years to come," said the Pakistani national recalling the long line formed on the wharf for passport checks against the Saudi manifest. This time, many young workers from South Asia had waited for three days on the wharf, after spending two gruelling weeks in the war-torn region.

Another man from Pakistan, who claimed to have worked at a Sudanese foundry, recounted how he had witnessed numerous bomb blasts and firing, but then fell silent and gazed into the sea, too traumatized to speak any further.

The recent weeks of fighting, which occurred during incomplete and selective ceasefires, are part of a power struggle between the Sudanese army led by Gen Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) paramilitary group led by Gen Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, commonly known as Hemedti.

According to Doucet’s British-Sudanese colleague, "Port Sudan has experienced a comparatively less severe impact from this conflict. Fighting only commenced here on the first day of April 15th, but now the city's port is inundated with individuals escaping from Khartoum and other locations."

As we sailed by, we caught a glimpse of the elegant Naval Club, now converted into a makeshift village for the displaced. With no clear exit strategy, numerous individuals are resorting to sleeping on the streets while waiting for a way out. Local hotels are overwhelmed with people from all over the world who possess passports, along with emergency consular services established hastily by embassies who have already evacuated the majority of their staff from the capital.

Those with less fortunate passports, such as Yemenis, Syrians, and Sudanese, are among the many individuals stranded in Port Sudan, with many worrying that there is no escape.

Approximately 3,000 Yemenis, primarily students, have been stranded in Port Sudan for several weeks. "The Saudis are saving a few Yemenis, but they are apprehensive about accepting a significant number," acknowledged a security advisor attempting to assist them in returning to their conflict-ridden nation.

Numerous travellers who arrive in Saudi Arabia are given temporary accommodation in hotels. However, it is emphasized that their respective countries are anticipated to cover the costs and make arrangements for their onward travel.

The moment is bittersweet for Sudanese citizens with foreign passports who manage to reach safe harbors.

A pink-scarfed mother, with one child sleeping on her shoulder and three others waving flowers distributed by Saudi soldiers, begged, "Please, please assist our family that remains in Sudan." She implored us, "Please urge the world to safeguard Sudan." Their family had been residing near Sport City in Khartoum, where gunshots rang out on the morning of April 15th.

In excited detail, her eight-year-old daughter Leen, who spoke fluent English with an American accent, described how armed men had burst into their home, and how all ten of them had to hide in the back room without making any noise. Her younger brother chimed in, calling the gunmen "bad, bad guys". Their father explained that the gunmen were RSF forces, who are believed to be responsible for much of the violence and looting.

The conflict between Sudan's two most powerful men is not only driven by personal and political animosities, but also by the competing interests and influence of major powers. This has led to a worsening and deeply concerning situation.

The complex political landscape of Sudan, with its rich mineral resources and agricultural potential, also involves Egypt, Israel, and Russia, including the private military company Wagner Group.

In the current crisis, the United States, Britain, and other peacemakers are also involved in trying to end the dangerous spiral and alleviate the suffering of civilians. Outside powers are now reportedly speaking with one voice.

Diplomats express gratitude for Saudi Arabia's evacuation effort, which has seen more than 5,000 people of 100 nationalities make the Red Sea crossing on Saudi warships or private vessels chartered by the Saudi military. Even Iranians were included in the largest single operation on Saturday, which carried some 2,000 passengers. Riyadh and Tehran, who are arch-rivals, have recently moved towards a cautious rapprochement, including the reopening of their embassies and consulates.

A 32-year-old civil engineer expressed her hopes for peace between countries as she and her engineer husband disembarked in Jeddah, considering it their luck to have made it out. On Sunday in Port Sudan, as another crowded tugboat made its way to a Saudi warship in rough waters, the passengers bid a final farewell to Sudan with sadness, knowing they may never have the chance to return.