Escaping Sudan: ‘The fear of our life’ forced thousands to brave bullets and border chaos on a brutal journey to safety

NBC News spoke to six Sudanese nationals who described a grueling and chaotic journey from their homes to neighboring Egypt, wracked by fear for their loved ones and doubt over whether they will ever be able to return to their old lives.

When fighting first broke out in Sudan’s capital, he only had $800 in his bank account.

As the sole provider for his family of five, high school teacher Shaheen al-Sharif knew that wasn’t enough to meet the rapidly rising price to escape, so he resolved to hunker down at his home in Khartoum

Escaping Sudan: ‘The fear of our life’ forced thousands to brave bullets and border chaos on a brutal journey to safety

NBC News spoke to six Sudanese nationals who described a grueling and chaotic journey from their homes to neighboring Egypt, wracked by fear for their loved ones and doubt over whether they will ever be able to return to their old lives. 

By Yasmine Salam

When fighting first broke out in Sudan’s capital, he only had $800 in his bank account.

As the sole provider for his family of five, high school teacher Shaheen al-Sharif knew that wasn’t enough to meet the rapidly rising price to escape, so he resolved to hunker down at his home in Khartoum.

“Going anywhere with that amount was not very feasible,” the 27-year-old told NBC News by phone last month.

Soon, an artillery shell had struck the roof and bullet marks scarred the outer walls as the intensifying conflict between Sudan’s army and a rival paramilitary group engulfed their neighborhood.