Sudan: 85-Yr-Old UK Man Shot, Wife Dies Of Starvation After Being Left Behind In Country, Says Report

Abdalla Sholgami, a hotel proprietor in London, resided near the British embassy in Khartoum with his disabled octogenarian partner, Alaweya Rishwan.

Representational Image.

Source : Getty

An 85-year-old UK national was targeted and hit by snipers, while his spouse passed away due to lack of sustenance, as they were abandoned in Sudan, according to their relatives, The Guardian reported.

According to the BBC, Abdalla Sholgami, a hotel proprietor in London, resided near the British embassy in Khartoum with his disabled octogenarian partner, Alaweya Rishwan.

As per the report, Sholgami was not provided with any assistance to exit Sudan but was instructed to travel to an airfield situated 25 miles (40km) away from Khartoum, which involved passing through an area of armed conflict, in order to catch a flight for evacuation.

Due to extreme deprivation of food and water, Sholgami had no choice but to abandon his wife in search of aid. During his absence, snipers targeted him and fired at him thrice, causing injuries to his hand, chest, and lower back. He managed to pull through after being brought to a relative residing in a separate district of Khartoum.

The family reported that Sholgami's spouse was compelled to take care of herself as they could not reach her owing to the presence of snipers in the region. She ultimately passed away due to lack of nourishment.

Azhaar, the granddaughter of Sholgami who was raised in Khartoum, mentioned that the embassy was situated in close proximity, just at a distance of four steps from her grandparents’ residence.

“What happened to my grandparents was a crime against humanity, not only by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), not only by the [Sudanese army], but by the British embassy, because they were the only ones that could have prevented this from happening to my grandparents," she was quoted by The Guardian in its report.

Sholgami successfully fled to Egypt and is currently undergoing medical treatment following a surgical procedure, performed by his doctor son without the use of anesthesia while in Khartoum.

In an official statement to the BBC, the Foreign Office expressed deep sorrow regarding the case at hand.

“The ongoing military conflict means Sudan remains dangerous. The UK is taking a leading role in the diplomatic efforts to secure peace in Sudan,” a spokesperson said, The Guardian reported. 

According to the Foreign Office, the range of consular aid that can be offered is severely restricted, and direct assistance cannot be given to individuals in Sudan.

Since April, the UK government has organized 28 flights to transport more than 2,300 individuals out of Sudan. After a prolonged period of growing tension between General Abdel-Fattah al-Burhan's military and General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo's Rapid Support Forces, combat commenced on April 15th.