Student stuck in Sudan due to fuel shortage

A UK-born student trying to flee Sudan says she does not have enough petrol to get to rescue flights.

Samar Eltayeb, 20, from Birmingham, has been sheltering with a relative outside Khartoum since fighting began in the country.

The third-year medical student at Sudan's National University has been waiting to be evacuated to join her parents and siblings in the UK.

"We have have no gas, and the petrol stations are empty," Ms Eltayeb said.

Student Samar Eltayeb said she was hiding with a relative on the outskirts of Khartoum

"There'll be constant flights within the next few days, but if I can't find gas to get there, then I'm stuck."

Hundreds of people have been killed since fighting began on 15 April.

The UK, which has faced criticism over the speed of evacuations, began rescue flights on Tuesday.

While she sheltered, Ms Eltayeb told the Press Association how prisoners had been released from jail amid the sound of gunfire on the streets.

"There's murderers and people who've committed manslaughter and thieves everywhere," she said.

"People have mentioned they've been looted and they took their stuff and their money and they were just left in the middle of nowhere. It was really scary."

Ms Eltayeb said her family were worried about her, "especially the little ones who keep calling me, saying 'oh Samar, are you okay? Are you gonna die?'"

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When the fighting began, she was in her student accommodation and heard gunfire, before being driven by a relative to his house on the outskirts of Khartoum two days later.

"As we were driving, the actual main road was closed, because there were so many tanks," she said.

"A lot of people are kind of just doomed. There's no way they can escape. They're suffering and they have no water, electricity and no wifi.

"Buildings have just been destroyed by missiles. I'm afraid that I'm never going to see Khartoum again."