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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
World
Ryan Fahey

Sudan war: NHS doctor shot in leg while rescuing mum and daughter from chaos

A Brit doctor was trying to rescue his mum when a militant blasted a bullet into his leg in Sudan, according to his panicked daughter.

The veteran NHS medic, who'd worked for the health service for three decades, was in the capital Khartoum to visit his family and celebrate Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr.

But while there, fighting broke out between the Sudanese military and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) - which has lead to all-out chaos as the country descends into civil war.

The doctor's daughter said her dad, grandma and another of his children have been without water for five days at his brother's home close to Khartoum airport - where temperatures today hovered just below 40C.

Chocolates and flowers are handed to Saudi and other foreign nationals at the King Faisal navy base in Jeddah after the mass evacuation (AFP via Getty Images)

After five days, he decided to move them to a safer place as fighting broke out nearby.

The daughter, also a doctor but based in London, told The Independent that as her father drove a Land Rover to their home on Thursday, rival militants shot at the vehicle, with him sustaiing a gunshot wound to the thigh.

The woman, who has been named Dr A to protect her family's identity, said: "They started shooting at the car first. My father kept going, but then he stopped because the shooting was coming from all directions.

Sudanese army soldiers hold their guns outside the RSF base in Port Sudan (AFP via Getty Images)

"When he got out he started to feel faint. He felt an intense heat on his leg, but because of his intense fear and adrenaline, he didn't pay attention."

She said Sudan's paramilitary RSF forces shot at the vehicle because Land Rovers are often used by the national army.

He managed to persuade the fighters that he was just a doctor and not the enemy, and scrambled to his brother's home.

People embark at a French military air base in Khartoum (Etat Major des Armées/AFP via Ge)

It comes as the British government and a host of other nations carry out massive evacuation operations to save their trapped citizens.

British teacher Jennifer McLellan, 36, is still waiting to hear from the Foreign Office and remains trapped in the war-ravaged country with her husband and four kids.

She was last known to be in a house near the capital of Khartoum after fleeing conflict between the Sudanese army and Rapid Support Forces paramilitary group.

The latest death toll has tipped over 400, with at least another 3,500 Sudanese injured.

An inside view of a damaged building during clashes between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

A three-day ceasefire has been agreed, and British military flights are preparing for a "large-scale" evacuation of UK nationals from the country.

Foreign Secretary James Cleverly announced that the operation would begin today after ministers came under pressure to help at least 2,000 citizens.

However, Jennifer's uncle - who managed to make contact with her yesterday - says she is "just one in a long line of people stuck in a terrible situation".

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