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Exclusive: Malaysian ambassador's spouse recounts harrowing ordeal in conflict-ridden

KUALA LUMPUR: It was the dead of night on April 15 when Lilis Surianty Mior Aziz was jolted awake by her husband who heard gunfire and explosions in Khartoum.

Her husband, Malaysian Ambassador to Sudan Razdan Jamil, initially instructed her to shelter in their residence at the Petronas Sudan Complex in the Sudanese capital.

The sprawling Petronas Sudan Complex in downtown Khartoum provided them some safety. It houses the Malaysian embassy, Petronas' offices in the country and 112 residential units for staff.

But it was hard to feel safe as the sound of fighting drew closer.

"I heard an explosion and rushed to check the closed-circuit television camera feed only to find it was damaged by shrapnel and bullets," she said in an exclusive interview with the New Straits Times on Thursday.

Lilis, a former flight attendant, said this in recounting her harrowing experience following clashes between the Sudanese army and Rapid Support Force (RSF).

She said the Malaysians then decided to hole up in the complex's surau, which was the designated safe room with bulletproof doors.

However, this safe haven was just temporary, Sudanese government soldiers had entered the Malaysian complex, which was only about 800m from their base.

"Sudanese soldiers then knocked on the door of our surau asking to be let in for prayers. We had no choice but to abide," she said.

Lilis and other Malaysians then gingerly went around the complex to inspect the effects of the clashes.

"We found that some locked apartment units had been forced open, and bullet casings were strewn across the parking lot.

"It was at that moment that we knew we had to make a move for safety."

The Malaysians then spent the days leading up to Hari Raya Aidilfitri in the compound, planning their exit.

Lilis said a lull in fighting on Hari Raya Aidilfitri was when the trapped Malaysians felt there was a window for them to get out of Khartoum.

"We discussed securing buses, and got hold of drivers that knew the safest route out of the area."

She said the group of Malaysians later were evacuated along with United Arab Emirates (UAE) officials.

Throughout the journey out of Khartoum, the group was escorted by police, she said.

"We had to stop at Kassala (midway through the journey) as one of the UAE government's vehicle had a breakdown."

She expressed relief that the 30-hour journey by land towards Port of Sudan passed without any untoward incidents.

"We had chosen the safest route to get to Port of Sudan, and we were only stopped at checkpoints manned by the police and not the RSF, for our documents to be checked."

She added that she felt a sense of relief as the group arrived safely at Port of Sudan.

Lilis said she drew on her training as a flight attendent to keep a level head throughout the ordeal.

On April 26, 30 Malaysians safely departed Port of Sudan aboard a Saudi navy vessel bound for Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

Foreign Minister Datuk Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir on Thursday said in a press conference at Wisma Putra that they were scheduled to arrive at Kuala Lumpur International Airport on a Saudi Arabian Airlines flight SV834 today (Friday).

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