Worried Bournemouth family's nightmare as mother trapped in Sudan while visiting sick father

A young man from Bournemouth whose mum is stuck in Sudan has described the situation as a 'nightmare' for the whole family.

Student Salah Elkhalifo's mum Rita travelled to the country to visit her elderly father who has Alzheimer's.

Rita travelled to the family home in Sudan's capital Khartoum.

She was due to return to the UK two days before fighting broke out, and was then moved to Wad Medani, before making their way to the Port.

Salah said: "For her it's a been a nightmare time.

"She was there to look after her ill father, which is stressful enough, but to add on top all of this.

• Salah Elkhalifo says it's been a terrifying experience for his mum.

"There's myself and I have three other younger siblings, another who is sitting their GCSE's and another at university, so it's had a big impact on the family.

"She does a lot of work within the community to try and help people so she's missed in the community as well, but everyone is working together to get stuff achieved.

"The plans for those at risk changed yesterday at the last minute - first it was stay at home for safety, and then it was to make it to the airspace.

"The first flight was only on the ground for 28 minutes, so if you weren't within a mile of the airport there was no way of you getting on it.

"People are so far away from it, they can't continuously keep travelling because it's a life or death situation."

Rita's case has been raised in the House of Commons by her local MP, Tobias Ellwood.

Salah says he and his sister have been in frequent contact with Mr Ellwood who has been trying to keep them at ease.

• Bournemouth East MP Tobias Ellwood raised Rita's story in the House of Commons.

"I'm grateful for the communication over the weekend with the Minister, but I hope he recognises that whilst the capital Khartoum is very much dangerous, the rest of it is desolate.

"Add together the elite forces of Britain, the United States, France, Germany, Italy, Sweden - that's a formidable elite force that could mimic with the United Nations is doing in using and protecting a land corridor to get the thousands of ex-pats and internationals from the capital to Port Sudan to safety.

"When he is considering his options, would he consider that as a possibility?

More than 400 people have died over the past week in Sudan, while there are said to be 7,000 foreign nationals trapped in the country.

Their situation is said to be becoming ever more perilous, with British nationals telling ITV News they feel "abandoned" and "failed" by the government as people run out of food and water.

Three planes were due to have left conflict-torn Khartoum for Larnaca in Cyprus by Wednesday morning (26 April), with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak pledging “many more” would follow as he warned of a “critical” 24 hours.

Families with children or elderly relatives, or individuals with medical conditions, will be prioritised for the flights.

Only British passport holders and immediate family members with existing UK entry clearance are being told they are eligible.

Nationals have been warned all travel within Sudan is “conducted at your own risk”.

Rita is now planning to attempt to travel across the Red Sea to Saudi Arabia, and then book a flight back to the UK.

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