Calgary Sudanese man worried for family amid crisis in Khartoum

Eisa Gumaa says sleeping and even working has been tough lately because his family is in Sudan, in the capital city of Khartoum, as “killing is everywhere.”

At least 512 people, including civilians and combatants, have been killed in Sudan since April 15 after fighting broke out between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), with around 4,200 wounded, according to the Sudanese Health Ministry.

The Doctors’ Syndicate, which tracks civilian casualties, says at least 295 civilians were killed and another 1,790 wounded.

“For us right now is very stressful. We can’t even sleep. We can’t work because every hourly basis, we are just calling them to see how they’re doing. ‘Is everyone out?'” Gumaa told CityNews.

“Sometimes they answer, sometimes they don’t answer once there are shooting around their houses. Is it street by street and road by road? I don’t know. Nobody’s safe in there.”

Numerous members of his family are stuck at this time. Gumaa’s son-in-law was supposed to come to Canada under the sponsorship program.

“He was going to hand his passport to … the Canadian Embassy there. He didn’t go by Saturday. That was when the shooting starts,” Gumaa said.

“Now, he has his passport in that office, and the office is burning. What are we going to do?”

Watch: First two Canadian evacuation flights exit Sudan

Gumaa wants to see the Canadian government take more action to help people flee.

“But I’m encouraging the Canadian government to have a voice at least provide more, more aid more, more planned that way,” he said.

“Even people that are not Canadian. They can go somewhere, no problem even the no way to come to Canada.”

Gumaa and other members of the Calgary Sudanese community will be gathering at City Hall on Sunday to call on the Canadian government and other countries to do more.

“Canada must use his power with his partners, United States, France, all those countries that can do something,” he said.

Related Stories:

• Canadian family describes escape from Sudan

• Two Canadian Armed Forces flights have left Sudan, carrying 118 evacuees

• Heavy clashes rock Sudan’s capital despite truce extension

Canadians were able to flee on planes and boats of allied countries until the first Canadian military evacuation was able to get to the airport in Khartoum on Thursday.

Allied nations are co-ordinating their approaches, with more than half the 118 passengers on the first two Canadian-operated evacuation flights being citizens of other countries.

-With files from The Associated Press