The family of an 85-year-old man who resided close to the British embassy in the capital of Sudan claims he was shot by snipers and his wife starved to death after being abandoned in the nation.
The family of Abdalla Sholgami and his disabled wife Alaweya Rishwan, 80, told the BBC that despite their requests for assistance, they were told to cross a conflict zone in order to take a flight to safely in Khartoum.
The family claimed that since the last evacuation flight left earlier this month, they have contacted the UK Foreign Office hotline and received no assistance from the British authorities.
The Foreign Office told the BBC the case was “extremely sad”.
“The ongoing military conflict means Sudan remains dangerous. The UK is taking a leading role in the diplomatic efforts to secure peace in Sudan.”
The Foreign Office claimed that the availability of consular support is “extremely limited” and that it cannot be obtained in person in Sudan.
According to the family, Mr. Sholgami and his wife were on the verge of famine when he was compelled to go to seek assistance and was shot three times by snipers. His wife was then left in the house, which was surrounded by snipers, where she passed away.
Mr. Sholgami fled Sudan and is now safe in Egypt.
Since the war started in April, the UK government has evacuated more than 2,300 people from Sudan on 28 flights.
More than 1.3 million people have been displaced as a result of conflict between Sudan’s military and a potent paramilitary force, the UN migration agency reported on Wednesday.
According to the International Organization for Migration, the fighting has compelled over a million people to flee their homes and seek refuge in safer parts of Sudan.
A further 320,000 people have escaped to Egypt, South Sudan, Chad, Ethiopia, the Central African Republic, and Libya, which are nearby nations.
After months of rising hostilities between the military, under the direction of General Abdel-Fattah Burhan, and the Rapid Support Forces, under the command of General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, the battle broke out on April 15.