According to BBC News Arabic, the family of an elderly British couple in Sudan has revealed a distressing account. The 85-year-old man, Abdalla Sholgami, was shot by snipers, while his 80-year-old disabled wife, Alaweya Rishwan, tragically passed away due to starvation. The couple, residing near the UK embassy in Khartoum, had sought assistance from the embassy during the Sudan conflict but were not provided adequate support. Despite the arrival of a British military team to evacuate diplomatic staff, the elderly couple were instructed to make their way to a distant airfield across a warzone for evacuation.
The UK foreign office acknowledged the unfortunate circumstances faced by the Sholgamis but cited severe limitations in providing consular assistance within Sudan. The diplomatic area in Khartoum has witnessed intense fighting since the conflict’s outbreak on April 15. The family had reached out to the UK embassy soon after the conflict began, but the embassy was evacuated with military assistance only a week later.
The Sholgami family expressed disappointment, as the embassy was in close proximity and yet they were not aided. Facing starvation and lack of water, Abdalla Sholgami was compelled to leave his wife to seek help. During his absence, he was shot multiple times by snipers but managed to survive by receiving medical care from a relative in another part of Khartoum. Unfortunately, his wife was left alone in a heavily sniper-infested area, and despite the family’s continued efforts to seek help through the UK foreign office hotline, Alaweya Rishwan remained stranded and eventually passed away. Her body remains unburied in their house.