The family of a Manchester man trapped in war-torn Sudan have told of their fears as fierce fighting continues to rage. More than 400 people have been killed and 3,500 injured after war broke out in the north east African country.
Battles continue on the streets of the capital Khartoum, sparking fears of a humanitarian catastrophe. Elmugiera Hafazalla, a delivery driver and university student from Gorton, is among those trapped in the city after flying out for earlier this month ahead of a family wedding.
His ex-wife Siham Noureldin and son, Manchester Evening News reporter Hakim Hafazalla, were meant to be joining him, but cancelled their travel plans after the fighting broke out.
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As battles between the Sudanese army led by Gen Burhan and a powerful rival paramilitary group rage in and around Khartoum, foreign countries have struggled to repatriate their citizens — some of whom are running short on food and basic supplies.
Elmugiera, 56, is staying with family in an apartment block in the Al-Sahafa district of the city, which has been subject to heavy shelling and gunfire. A video taken by family members shows some of the damage to the neighbourhood.
(Image: Hakim Hafazalla)
In the mobile phone footage, burnt out cars and rubble from where a shell has hit an apartment block can be seen. The family member can be heard saying: "This is Khalid’s house, they hit it with a missile, it's on 49th street. Look at the situation we are in.
"The plane is just dropping bombs anywhere. Look at how our neighbours house windows have broken. All of it has broken. Oh my goodness, they destroyed the house. There is no god, but no god.
"This is where the missile hit. They have destroyed all these homes."
(Image: AP)
Hakim, 24, has been speaking to his dad, who also works as a medical translator, every day since fighting broke out over a week ago. He said: "He's alright, but they've been advised to stay indoors, so he's not really leaving the apartment. There's no reliable running water, so he's only going outside to get groceries and water.
"There's been a lot of shelling in the area where they are staying. It's literally on their doorstep. A neighbour's windows were blown in from the shockwaves and in the video you can see the impact from where a shell has hit the apartments.
"He's trying to find a way out of the country. He considered trying to cross into Egypt, but apparently the border is not very safe right now.
(Image: AP)
"There's been a lot of anxiety and uncertainty. Dad didn't know how long he would be there for. This last week has been the most anxious of my life - I've not been sleeping or eating properly."
It's estimated up to 4,000 Brits could be stranded in Sudan. On Saturday, the Sudanese army said it was co-ordinating efforts to evacuate American, British, Chinese and French citizens and diplomats from Sudan on military aircraft.
UK diplomats were airlifted out on Sunday but British citizens were left behind awaiting further instructions. Earlier today (Monday) Alicia Kearns, chairwoman of the Commons Foreign Affairs Committee, said the focus must now shift to getting British nationals out of Sudan.
(Image: AP)
The Conservative MP told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: "We have to get our people out, and I really hope that is the current focus because there is no imminent sign of a ceasefire." She said evacuations would be 'enormously difficult', with only one airstrip being used.
"The reality is we have to get British nationals out. If however, there was to be no evacuation because it's too dangerous, the Americans have said they will not evacuate their people, the French have had their people shot at, then we have a moral obligation to tell British nationals as soon as possible that that is the judgement that has been made, because they then need to be able to make their own decisions."
Hakim said his family remained optimistic an evacuation would take place, but expressed frustration at a lack of communication from the UK government. He said: "I am keeping optimistic. If dad doesn't get on a military plane, I think he will try to drive to a neighbouring country with family members or he will go to Upper Sudan.
"But the priority has been put on getting diplomats out and not citizens. That makes me uncomfortable, because the fighting is still happening. One bullet is all it takes to hurt an innocent person."
Foreign Office minister Andrew Mitchell said the Government is doing 'everything we can' to get British nationals out of Sudan. He told Sky News on Monday morning: "We will do everything we can, and I mean everything, to get our British citizens out.
"Our intention always has been to facilitate the exit of our own citizens as soon as it is safe to do so." Mr Mitchell could not say when that might happen, but said 'every single option is being explored in detail'.
Asked why diplomats, but not citizens, were evacuated, he said that 'we have a specific duty of care, a legal duty of care, to our own staff and our diplomats' and that there had been 'a very specific threat to the diplomatic community' in Khartoum.
(Image: AP)
A UK Government spokesman said: "We recognise that the situation is extremely concerning for British nationals trapped by the fighting in Sudan. We are doing everything possible to support British nationals and diplomatic staff in Khartoum, and the Ministry of Defence is working with the Foreign Office to prepare for a number of contingencies."
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