Wife starved to death after Briton shot by Sudan sniper Pensioners ‘abandoned by embassy’
RELATIVES of an elderly British couple who lived near the UK embassy in Sudan’s war-torn capital claim she died of starvation and he was shot by snipers after they were left behind.
The BBC was told by the family of Abdalla Sholgami, 85, and his disabled wife Alaweya Rishwan, 80, that despite asking diplomats for help, they were told to make their own way 25 miles from Khartoum across a warzone to an evacuation flight.
They say they used a Foreign Office hotline but claim the Government has done nothing to support them – while a British military team was sent in to rescue UK diplomats and families.
Conflict
Mr Sholgami’s granddaughter Azhaar said the embassy was “steps away” from their home. She added: “I was informed they had 100 troops who came and evacuated their staff. They could not cross the road? I’m still very disappointed in them.”
The Foreign Office said that the Sholgamis’ case was “extremely sad. The ongoing military conflict means Sudan remains dangerous.”
A spokesman added that the ability to give consular assistance was “extremely limited” and staff could not provide in-person support within Sudan. Fighting erupted last month after a long power struggle within the
military leadership of the north-east African country.
The family said Mr Sholgami was shot in the back, chest and hand while looking for food and water. He was treated in another part of Khartoum but his wife could not be reached as their home was surrounded by snipers. The BBC reported she was found dead there on May 10 by an official from Turkey’s embassy.
Mr Sholgami fled to safety in Egypt, planning to return to London for care.
More than 2,300 people were evacuated by the UK Government from Sudan on 28 flights. The fighting has displaced more than 1.3 million people, the UN migration agency said, with many escaping to Egypt, South Sudan, Chad, Ethiopia, the Central African Republic and Libya.