Saudi Press

Saudi Arabia and the world
Sunday, Apr 27, 2025

British girl, 3, stuck in Sudan after mom denied entry to evacuation flight

British girl, 3, stuck in Sudan after mom denied entry to evacuation flight

A three-year-old British girl in Sudan was denied entry to a UK evacuation flight along with her mother, the child’s father told The Times newspaper.
Amar Idris said that his wife, Amina, 41, and daughter, Samrin, had fled fighting in Khartoum to travel to Port Sudan on the Red Sea.

The city’s airport hosted the UK’s last airlift from the country on Monday, which the mother and daughter had attempted to board.

But Idris said that British officials blocked Amina from boarding because she lacked a UK visa. They then told the mother that her daughter could not be placed on the flight alone.

He said: “This morning they (British diplomats) said they would take the child on the flight by herself. Then they came back and said they couldn’t take the child without her mother. They changed their mind.”

The mother and daughter had earlier left Khartoum after their home was struck in a bombing campaign. Samrin’s UK passport was left in the house during the chaos.

Idris warned that his wife’s health was “rapidly deteriorating” because she had gone without clean drinking water for several days.

Roza Mohamed, Samrin’s aunt, said: “I have contacted the Foreign Office four times and begged them to take Samrin.”

The UK government on Monday announced that it would end evacuation flights from the Wadi Saeedna airbase north of Khartoum amid a drop in British nationals applying for seats.

The diplomatic team in Port Sudan will now serve as the communication point for remaining British nationals seeking to leave the country by commercial means.

In a statement, Foreign Secretary James Cleverly hailed British evacuation efforts and praised embassy staff.

He said: “As the focus turns to humanitarian and diplomatic efforts, we will continue to do all we can to press for a long-term ceasefire and an immediate end to the violence in Sudan.”

Separately, a British Sudanese dual citizen from Birmingham, Adam Qumar Ibrahim, told The Times that his newly married cousin refused to board an evacuation flight from the country after his wife was refused entry.

Ibrahim’s cousin, Abbas Adam, had traveled to Sudan in February for his wedding, but had sought to leave the country along with his wife as fighting broke out between the government and Rapid Support Forces paramilitary.

Ibrahim said: “When the fighting started, he tried to come back to the UK and register himself and his wife with the Foreign Office.

“He spent three days in the airport, and they refused to take his wife. They said to him ‘if you want to go, we can take you but if you want to take your wife we can’t.’

“That is a very bad way of handling it. The British government should have believed them and brought them over and they can do the visa checks once they are safe.”

Saudi Arabia is playing a leading role in planning evacuation efforts from Port Sudan across the Red Sea.

Hundreds of refugees from Sudan, including 28 Britons, arrived in Jeddah on Monday on a US Navy vessel.

So far, more than 5,000 refugees have arrived in the Kingdom during international evacuation efforts.
Newsletter

Related Articles

Saudi Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Massive Explosion at Iran's Bandar Abbas Port Linked to Suspicious Chemical Shipments
Pope Francis Laid to Rest in Rome as World Leaders Attend Funeral
Not Child’s Play: How Competitive Gaming Became a Global Economic Empire
California Surpasses Japan to Become the World’s Fourth-Largest Economy
Former U.S. Congressman George Santos sentenced to eighty-seven months for wide-ranging fraud
Israel Considers Limited Strikes on Iran's Nuclear Facilities Amid Diplomatic Efforts
Saudi Arabia Offers Max Verstappen Unprecedented Deal to Join Aston Martin
Global Pistachio Shortage Amid Rising Demand for 'Dubai Chocolate'
IMF Predicts No Global Recession Amid Trade Tensions
Worldwide Markets Decline as U.S.-China Trade Frictions Intensify
OpenAI Lands Unprecedented $40 Billion Investment
Removing the Political Adversary is Dismantling What's Remaining of Turkey's Economy.
Ex-FIFA President and French Football Icon Acquitted of Corruption Allegations
White House Investigates Security Breach After Journalist Accidentally Added to Secret Yemen Strike Chat
Volunteers in Jeddah Ensure No One Goes Hungry During Ramadan Iftar
New Restaurant Opens in Makkah's Iconic Clock Tower for Ramadan Iftar
Saudi Arabia's Project Masam Removes 552 Houthi Mines in Yemen
Saudi Arabia Fines Over 400 Foreign Trucks for Regulatory Violations
Saudi National Campaign for Charitable Work Reports Significant Donations in Ramadan
Historic Al-Hosn Al-Asfal Mosque Restored in Asir as Part of National Heritage Initiative
KSrelief Expands Humanitarian Efforts in Syria, Sudan, and Lebanon
Saudi Arabia Advocates for Global Water Cooperation at Forum
Madinah Governor Tours Islamic Arts Biennale in Jeddah
Saudi Foreign Minister in Cairo to Lead Meeting on Gaza Developments
Recognition of Saudi and Pakistani Entrepreneurs at Riyadh Ceremony
UAE Announces $1.4 Trillion Investment Plan in the United States
Saudi Arabia Innovates in Soil Quality and Water Conservation
Governor of Taif Engages with Rose and Aromatic Plants Cooperative
Saudi Food and Drug Authority Enhances Preparations for Hajj Season
Saudi Arabia Distributes Aid to Yemen and Romania
Restoration of Historic Al-Qalaah Mosque in Riyadh Underlines Heritage Preservation Efforts
Saudi Arabia Arrests Over 25,000 for Immigration Violations in One Week
UAE’s ADQ and Energy Capital Partners Announce $25 Billion Energy Venture in the U.S.
KSrelief Launches Extensive Ramadan Food Aid Initiative
Ramadan Celebrations Revitalize Historic Jeddah
Makkah Authorities Urge Worshippers to Follow Crowd Management Guidelines
Direct Flights Between Dammam and Damascus Reestablished for Syrian Residents
Saudi Main Index Rises to Close at 11,760 Amid Mixed Market Performance
Moroccan Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch Visits Prophet's Mosque in Madinah
Cultural Development Fund Hosts Third Annual Storytellers Event in Riyadh
Investment Surge in Fintech, Gaming, and Health Care Across MENA Region
Surging Prices for Religious Tourism in Saudi Arabia Amid Ramadan Rush
Middle Eastern Airlines’ Fleet Projected to Surge Above Global Growth Rates
Oil Prices Rise Amid Supply Concerns and Sanctions on Iran
Saudi Arabia Reports Significant Decrease in US Treasury Holdings
Tabuk's Transformative Economic Landscape: A Hub of Growth and Innovation in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia's Strategic Advances in Water Sustainability
Merrill Lynch Appointed as Market Maker for 20 Securities on Saudi Exchange
Gold Prices Set for Third Weekly Gain Amid Geopolitical Tensions and Economic Uncertainty
Saudi Banks Increase Debt Market Activities Amid Sukuk Surge
×