A family from Mississauga has escaped Sudan after militia fighting escalated during their Ramadan family vacation in Khartoum.
Nagwa El Mamoun and Dalia Addabi were told there was no plan from the Canadian government to evacuate Canadians in Sudan.
“I’ll be honest, it was very disheartening and I think at moments we felt like this was hopeless,” Addabi told Breakfast Television.
“To just kind of get the message of ‘stay tight, we’re working on something,’ when we’re hearing on the news that other nations are working on plans to evacuate their people.”
The German government took on the GTA family in an aircraft to Berlin and on Wednesday, they’re headed from Germany to Canada.
“We’re definitely grateful to be here but it was heartbreaking, it was sad, it was mixed with fear, panic.”
Addabi said they had to come up with a safe passage route and call on the community to help them navigate the route in a manner that wouldn’t get them harmed.
“Not only did we have to look out for our safety for the RSF and SAF, but also the gangs and the robbers. Trying to pass them very quickly without being harmed.”
“It was kind of shocking seeing not only the presence of the RSF and the SAF, but just people’s bodies, who unfortunately died in this battle.”
El Mamoun recalls moments where she didn’t think she would make it out of Sudan with her family. She had children in Canada and asked them to be strong, telling them they might not see each other again.
Addabi is keeping in mind the 1,600 Canadians who are trapped in Sudan while she heads home.
“We’re just hoping that those folks are able to get the means to get the information because at the moment there is a telecommunication blackout through the internet and the government has told us they will be reaching out via email. The worry is those folks may not get that information in time to leave.”
“Even larger than that, we have family in Sudan currently who don’t have the means to come out and I think, just hoping the government can, in some ways, step up like they have stepped up for other nations,” Addabi said.
