'Momma, are they going to kill us?’: Guelph, Ont. mother recounts family's escape from Sudan conflict
"My kids were terrified, Mukhtar said. "Sometimes I can't sleep at night because the sound, and we heard everything."
Mukhtar, along with her two 16-year-old daughters and nine-year-old son, were visiting family in Khartoum when conflict erupted on April 15.
"I’m telling them don't panic, but to be honest I'm shaking from inside and outside and they can see," she said.
For days, Mukhtar and her children found themselves trapped in her mother’s home as gunshots echoed outside and planes dropped bombs on nearby homes.
"You don't know what to do, suddenly electricity is off and we don't have any water, all the supermarkets, everything is totally closed," Mukhtar said. "My son, he's nine years old, he said ‘momma are they gonna kill us?' I had that fear, what he said."
Mukhtar captured videos and photos of their ordeal.
Rania Mukhtar of Guelph is detailing how she and her children made it out of the Sudan conflict. (Photo submitted by Rania Mukhtar)
Rania Mukhtar of Guelph is detailing how she and her children made it out of the Sudan conflict. (Photo submitted by Rania Mukhtar)
Hundreds have been killed and tens of thousands have fled for their lives since the start of the brutal fighting.
"This is my first concern: my kids,” Mukhtar said. “Not about myself, it's about my kids, what would happen, everything coming to my mind is: they are going to kill my kids.”
The family escaped from Khartoum by train. The journey lasted eight days and cost them about $10,000 USD.
Mukhtar and one of her daughters concealed their money and other valuables in their undergarments to ensure they wouldn’t be found by soldiers.
“Well, they can’t search under our pants, they can’t do that, so this is the only safe place to stash our belongings,” she said.
After what Mukhtar describes as an eternity, the family found themselves in Cairo, Egypt.
They are staying with family for now before they make their way back home to Guelph, hoping peace can prevail in Sudan soon.
"I hope that the Sudanese community can be strong and to send our concern to the people who can speak on behalf of us," Mukhtar said.
The federal government has ended evacuation flights from Sudan. Canadians, permanent residents and their families who need help are encouraged to contact the Emergency Watch and Response Centre for emergency consular services.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'A beautiful soul': Funeral held for baby boy killed in wrong-way crash on Highway 401
A funeral was held on Wednesday for a three-month-old boy who died after being involved in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 in Whitby last week.
Police handcuff man trying to enter Drake's Toronto mansion
Toronto police say a man was taken into custody outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion Wednesday afternoon after he tried to gain access to the residence.
U.S. presidential candidate RFK Jr. had a brain worm, has recovered, campaign says
Independent U.S. presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had a parasite in his brain more than a decade ago, but has fully recovered, his campaign said, after the New York Times reported about the ailment.
Ontario Provincial Police arrest 64 suspects in child sexual exploitation investigation
Ontario Provincial Police say 64 suspects are facing a combined 348 charges in connection with a series of child sexual exploitation investigations that spanned the province.
Pfizer agrees to settle more than 10K lawsuits over Zantac cancer risk: Bloomberg News
Pfizer has agreed to settle more than 10,000 lawsuits about cancer risks related to the now discontinued heartburn drug Zantac, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the deal.
Quebec premier defends new museum on Quebecois nation after Indigenous criticism
Quebec Premier Francois Legault is defending his comments about a new history museum after he was accused by a prominent First Nations group of trying to erase their history.
Blind Sask. boy heading to international braille competition hopes to increase accessibility for visually impaired
A Saskatchewan boy who qualified for an international braille competition in Los Angeles next month hopes he can inspire change in his home province.
'A step forward': New screening criteria for sperm donors takes effect
Canadians looking to grow their families with the assistance of sperm or egg donations should soon have more options for donors as the federal health agency does away with longstanding restrictions criticized as discriminatory.
What is whooping cough and should Canadians be concerned as Europe declares outbreak?
There is currently a whooping cough epidemic in Europe, with 10 times as many cases compared to the previous two years. While an outbreak has not been declared nationwide in Canada, whooping cough is regularly detected in the country.