From left to right: Abdalla Sholgami, Azhaar Sholgami and Alaveya Rishwan. Azhaar tried to convince British officials to help her grandparents leave Khartoum.
A British hotelier was shot while seeking help in Sudan, and his wife starved to death at home after their calls for help fell on deaf ears.
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Abdallah Sholgami lived with his 80-year-old wife -disabled Alaveya Rishwan across the street from the British Legation in the capital Khartoum.
Their family pleaded with the British for help in rescuing the couple when the country was in the grip of fighting almost six weeks ago.
But they claim they were not given support to leave, but were instead ordered to make their own way to the airfield 25 miles from the city, even as British troops were sent to evacuate diplomatic personnel from the mission.
Azhaar Sholgami, the couple's granddaughter, told the BBC that their home was “a maximum of four steps” from British Embassy.
She said: “I was informed that they have 100 troops who have arrived and evacuated their personnel. . They couldn't cross the road? I'm still very disappointed in them.”
Nearly six weeks ago Sudan was in the grip of fighting in Khartoum Credit : MOHAMED NURELDIN ABDALLAH/REUTERS
When the couple was trapped in their home due to clashes between two military factions, Mr Sholgami, 85, finally decided to seek help.
However, he received three shots: in the arm, chest and lower back. He survived and was taken to a family member in another part of Khartoum, but his disabled wife was left alone to fend for herself.
Family members were unable to contact her due to the threat of being shot. They said they continued to contact the Foreign Office hotline for help, but the UK government had not been in contact since May 3, when the last evacuation flight to the UK took off.
Ms. Rishwan was eventually found dead. inside the house of a Turkish official. It is reported that her remains still lie in the house.
Clashes between the Sudanese army and a paramilitary group called RSF killed at least 1,800 people, over a million people fled their homes, and millions more were left with a heterogeneous access to water, electricity and healthcare.
The fighting has forced more than a million people in Sudan to flee their homes. Photo: AFP
Azhaar Sholgami said: “What happened to my grandparents was a crime against humanity, not only by the RSF, not only by the [Sudanese army], but also by the British Embassy, because they were the only ones who could prevent what happened to my grandparents.”
Mr. Sholgami, who owns a hotel in London, was operated on without anesthesia by his own son, a doctor. He has since managed to escape to Egypt for medical treatment.
The Foreign Ministry said the couple's case was “extremely sad” but said “our ability to provide consular assistance is severely limited and we are unable to provide help”. support for the people in Sudan.”
And further: “The ongoing military conflict means that Sudan remains dangerous … Britain takes the lead in diplomatic efforts to ensure peace in Sudan.”
Fighting in the country continues despite diplomatic efforts, and a number of truces have not been sealed.
Saudi Arabia and the United States said on Friday that the warring parties are better off sticking to a latest attempt at a week-long ceasefire after days of sporadic fighting.
A truce brokered by Riyadh and Washington went into effect on Monday, but fighting continued in Khartoum and the western region of Darfur. Particularly violent clashes flared up on Wednesday, the two countries said in a joint statement.
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