Key Points
- There are at least 158 Australians in Sudan as fighting rages, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade says.
- Some countries have begun evacuating their citizens.
- More than 420 people have been killed since fighting erupted eight days ago.
Hameeda Mohamed travelled to Sudan in February to see her father and extended family.
Now, she is among more than Australians stranded in the battle-torn country, and fears for her life.
Sudan's sudden slide into conflict between the army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a powerful paramilitary group, has triggered a humanitarian crisis, killed 420 people, and trapped millions of Sudanese without access to basic services.
Ms Mohamed — who is in Sudan's capital, Khartoum — told SBS News on Monday that missiles are now coming closer to residential buildings, hospitals and banks have closed, and residents are struggling with a shortage of food.
She told SBS News: "My biggest concern right now is probably passing away at such a young age due to something that's completely out of my hands."
Heavy smoke billows above buildings in the vicinity of the Khartoum airport on 15 April 2023, amid clashes in the Sudanese capital. Source: Getty / AFP
The 21-year-old had planned to leave by bus from Sudan to Cairo, but said buses have now been halted and those with a foreign passport are not allowed to leave the country.
Ms Mohamed, from Melbourne, told SBS News she has registered with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) through the SmartTraveller portal, but has not received assistance.
"I have applied through DFAT to see if there is any possible outcome that the Australian government can assist us with, but (their reply) said the help that they can offer is limited, so there is nothing we can do besides wait," she said.
A DFAT spokesperson said in a statement on Monday its immediate priority is the safety of at least 158 Australians in Sudan.
It said consular assistance is being provided, but that help is limited with no embassy in Sudan.
Australians who remain in the country have been told to follow travel advice, consider the risks when attempting to leave, and shelter in a safe place away from windows.
"The Australian government is deeply concerned about escalating violence in Sudan," the spokesperson said.
"We call on all parties to cease hostilities and prevent further needless bloodshed."
Australia is working with partner nations to evacuate its citizens from the country in Africa's northeast, with the closest embassy in Egypt.
Sudan's sudden collapse into warfare has dashed plans to restore civilian rule, brought an already impoverished country to the brink of humanitarian disaster, and threatened a wider conflict that could draw in outside powers.
The fighting broke out in Khartoum, along with its adjoining sister cities of Omdurman and Bahri, and other parts of the country on 15 April, four years after long-ruling autocrat Omar al-Bashir was toppled during a popular uprising.
The army and RSF jointly staged a coup in 2021 but fell out during negotiations over a plan to form a civilian government and integrate the RSF into the armed forces.
Beyond Khartoum, reports of the worst violence have come from Darfur, a western region bordering Chad that suffered a conflict that escalated from 2003 leaving 300,000 people dead and 2.7 million displaced.
The army under Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and the RSF, headed by Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, known as Hemedti, have failed to observe ceasefires agreed almost daily, including a three-day truce for the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Fitr, which began on Friday.
German air force planes have evacuated hundreds of people. Sweden evacuated its embassy staff, their families and some citizens to Djibouti while other European nations are moving to do the same.
