Saudi Press

Saudi Arabia and the world
Saturday, Mar 28, 2026

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
Ukraine and Saudi Arabia Reach ‘Mutually Beneficial’ Defence Agreement
Ukraine to Share Battlefield Expertise with Saudi Arabia Under New Defence Agreement
Trump Takes Center Stage at Saudi Arabia’s FII Miami Amid Escalating Iran Conflict
Gulf States Explore Pipeline Routes to Bypass Strait of Hormuz Amid Rising Tensions
Iran Conflict Drives Saudi Arabia to Deepen Security Ties with Ukraine
Saudi Arabia Reviews Desert Ski Resort Plans with Cancellation of Key Building Contracts
Saudi Arabia Targets Business Hotel Shortfall with $1 Billion Development Push
Iran and Allied Forces Intensify Strikes on Energy Sites and Urban Areas Across Region
Ukraine and Saudi Arabia Formalise Defence Cooperation Agreement, Zelenskiy Announces
Saudi Arabia Reportedly Presses US to Intensify Operations Against Iran
Saudi Arabia Expands Maritime Network with Launch of Six New Shipping Services
Saudi Arabia Launches FII Summit Amid Heightened Focus on Global Stability and Investment Risks
Saudi Arabia’s HUMAIN Secures First US Customer in Expansion of AI Capabilities
Saudi Arabia Calls on US to Seize Strategic Opportunity to Reshape the Middle East
Saudi Arabia’s Strategic Investments Help Shape Silicon Valley’s Rise
Saudi Arabia Announces Passing of King Abdullah, Marking End of an Era
Saudi Arabia May Shift From Neutrality to Retaliation if Houthi Attacks Escalate, Experts Warn
UAE and Saudi Arabia Urge Decisive US Action on Iran as Regional Pressure Intensifies
Zelensky Visits Saudi Arabia After Offering Ukraine’s Drone Expertise
Saudi Arabia Pauses Ambitious Desert Ski Project Amid Strategic Reassessment
Trump Set for Palm Beach Return Following Saudi-Backed Summit in Miami
Saudi Arabia Accelerates Yanbu Oil Exports Toward Five Million Barrel Target
Report Highlights Saudi-US Security Discussions as Trump Administration Evaluates Iran Strategy
Saudi Arabia’s Humain Commits Three Billion Dollars to Elon Musk’s xAI in Strategic Technology Push
Saudi Arabia Signals Firm Shift in Iran Policy, Declares Coexistence No Longer Viable
Saudi Clubs Prepare Major Push to Sign Mohamed Salah Amid Growing Transfer Speculation
Saudi Arabia Rejects Claims It Seeks to Prolong Regional Conflict
Saudi Arabia Condemns Iranian Actions and Signals Firm Shift Toward Stronger Response
Saudi Arabia Reassesses Strategic Approach as Regional Tensions with Iran Intensify
Pakistan Reaffirms Strong Support for Saudi Arabia Following High-Level Visit
Saudi Arabia Expands Regional Trade Links by Opening New Land and Sea Routes to UAE
World Economic Forum Delays Saudi Conference as Regional Conflict Disrupts Global Agenda
Saudi Arabia and UAE Signal Potential Entry into Iran Conflict if Critical Infrastructure Is Targeted
Global Firms Accelerate Expansion into Saudi Arabia as Economic Reforms Gain Momentum
Global Labour Pressure Mounts as ILO Faces Calls to Reject Saudi Bid to Dismiss Migrant Worker Complaint
Gulf Powers Move Closer to Entering Iran Conflict as Regional Pressure Intensifies
Saudi Arabia Breaks Ranks with Regional Allies Over Response to Iran Escalation
Saudi Arabia Moves Closer to Direct Role as Iran Conflict Intensifies
World Economic Forum Postpones Jeddah Meeting Amid Escalating Regional Tensions
Saudi Crown Prince Reportedly Urges Trump to Sustain Military Pressure on Iran
Trump to Deliver Keynote Address at Saudi-Backed Investment Summit in Miami Beach
Saudi Arabia and Kuwait Press Ahead With Energy Agreements Despite Regional Conflict
Can Saudi Arabia’s Yanbu Port Replace Hormuz? Capacity Limits Test Critical Oil Lifeline
Saudi Arabia Detects Ballistic Missiles as Regional Tensions Escalate in Gulf
Saudi Aramco Reduces Oil Shipments to Asia for Second Consecutive Month
Saudi Aramco Reduces Oil Shipments to Asia for Second Consecutive Month
Saudi Arabia and UAE Push Ahead With Major Deals Despite Iran-Related Uncertainty
Formula One Cancels Bahrain and Saudi Arabia Grands Prix Amid Escalating Regional Tensions
Pakistan Signals Strategic Realignment Toward Saudi Arabia Amid Regional Tensions
Saudi Arabia Cuts Oil Shipments to Asia as Regional Conflict Disrupts Key Export Routes
×