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Ashland mother and daughter escape Sudan amid violent military conflict

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Trillian Clifford and her 18-month-old daughter Alma. (Courtesy of Rebecca Winter)
Trillian Clifford and her 18-month-old daughter Alma. (Courtesy of Rebecca Winter)

Update Tuesday, April 25: The family of Trillian Clifford say that she and her daughter have "safety crossed the border out of Sudan." In a statement, her sister-in-law Rebecca Winter says the school Clifford worked for organized the exit for her and other foreign nationals from the school. Clifford is traveling as a private citizen and expects to reach the U.S. in a few days.

Winter thanked Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Gov. Maura Healey for their help in getting Clifford home.

Warren said in a statement she was "relieved" Clifford and her daughter were out of the country, and that she will continue to work with the State Department to help any other Americans leave Sudan.

"I'm relieved that Trillian and her daughter are on their way back to the United States, and deeply grateful to all the individuals that helped make it happen," she said.


Original post: 

A Massachusetts mother and her 18-month-old daughter are sheltering in place in Sudan amid the recent violent conflict between two factions of the military government.

More than 400 people — roughly half of them civilians — have been killed and more than 3,700 wounded in the nearly two weeks of fighting between the Sudanese armed forces and the powerful paramilitary group known as the Rapid Support Forces.

Trillian Clifford, of Ashland, Mass., has taught internationally for almost 10 years, and this was her first year working in Sudan. She and her daughter, Alma, were living peacefully in the country until the conflict erupted, trapping them and thousands of other international workers.

At WBUR's request, Clifford communicated through voice memos from her apartment in Sudan's capital city, Khartoum.

"So I am here with my 18-month-old daughter and we are in a relatively safe location," said Clifford in an emailed voice memo. "Although I would have to add, as a caveat, that it feels like nowhere in the city is particularly safe. We are hearing a lot of gunshots and explosions. There's definitely aircraft flying over continuously throughout the day. And we are taking the orders from the [U.S.] Embassy — and from our employers as well — very seriously to stay low to the ground, stay as far away from windows as possible and to stay hidden, because this is a very, very dangerous situation to be involved in."

The fighting began more than a week ago. It has trapped civilians in their homes, where they are rationing food and water and hoping for supplies. In an interview with NPR's Leila Fadel, Jeffrey Feltman, a former U.S. special envoy for the Horn of Africa, described the violence as a "lust for power" between leaders of the Sudanese army and the rival paramilitary Rapid Support Forces.

Smoke is seen in Khartoum, Sudan, Saturday, April 22, 2023. The fighting in the capital between the Sudanese Army and Rapid Support Forces resumed after an internationally brokered cease-fire failed. (Marwan Ali/AP)
Smoke is seen in Khartoum, Sudan, on April 22. The fighting in the capital between the Sudanese Army and Rapid Support Forces resumed after an internationally brokered cease-fire failed. (Marwan Ali/AP)

Clifford's sister-in-law, Rebecca Winter, spoke with WBUR about her family's situation.

"Yeah, it's really, really terrifying," Winter said. "It went from everything was completely normal eight days ago to all of a sudden war started overnight. She was told by the U.S. Embassy ... for many days that because the fighting is so intense — and even the Sudanese people had never seen fighting in the capital this intense — that they had no idea if or when they would be able to get her supplies, like food and water."

As of Saturday, the U.S. has not made known any plans to evacuate U.S. private citizens.

"I know there are about 10 of us, U.S. citizens, just working at my school alone that all really desperately want to get home."

Trillian Clifford

Clifford said in another voice memo that she's registered with the U.S. Embassy Smart Traveler Enrollment Program, and has been in regular contact with the embassy in Sudan.

"As of right now, our understanding is that evacuation plans are being put into place for U.S. Embassy personnel and their families, and that these plans do not include private citizens who are in Sudan for other reasons," said Clifford. "Of course, this is disappointing to hear, but we're all holding on to a little bit of hope that there may be other plans or contingencies in place and perhaps if a cease-fire is put into effect and adhered to or just maybe a truce is taken into effect, we might be able to safely make our way out of the city."

Trillian Clifford and her daughter, Alma. (Image courtesy of Rebecca Winter)
Trillian Clifford and her daughter, Alma. (Courtesy of Rebecca Winter)

"I know there are about 10 of us, U.S. citizens, just working at my school alone that all really desperately want to get home," said Clifford, "including three of us who have young children — and more than anything want to get our children to safety."

Winter said Clifford happens to live in a gated building and that the building has two armed guards — one of whom she said risked his life on the evening of Eid al-Fitr to deliver food and water to the teachers living in the building. But the fighting has been happening right outside their windows.

"[Clifford] has made a makeshift shelter in their living room out of a coffee table and a few mattresses," said Winter. "So when the airstrikes get really bad, they go there. And yesterday, during Eid [al-Fitr], when there were rumors of a cease-fire, actually the fighting intensified quite a bit and the security guards moved her to a different apartment because she was on a higher floor with a lot of windows."

Throughout the conflict, Winter has done her best to stay in contact with Clifford, but she said sometimes it's difficult to get in touch. It's unpredictable when more resources will be coming to the building, and she said Clifford is concerned about running out of food and water. The building — which lost power five or six days ago — luckily has a generator, but there is also a concern of fuel scarcity.

Trillian Clifford and her 18-month-old daughter, Alma, have been sheltering in place in Sudan as violent conflict has broken out between military factions on the street. Alma plays on a couch in Sudan two days into the conflict. (Image courtesy of Rebecca Winter)
Trillian Clifford and her 18-month-old daughter, Alma, have been sheltering in place in Sudan as violent conflict has broken out between military factions on the street. Alma plays on a couch in Sudan two days into the conflict. (Courtesy of Rebecca Winter)

"I'm terrified," Winter said. "I talk to Trill every day, but I never know. Is she going to be there, is she going to be OK? It's really emotionally draining and horrifying. And so we're trying to get loud and get her story out there. I hope that there's some interest and maybe people can help."

Winter said she started by calling Sen. Elizabeth Warren's office. She said Warren's aides do appear to have an interest in Clifford's story and have taken down some information. Winter has also reached out to Gov. Maura Healey's office.

In a statement to WBUR, the governor's office said Healey and Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll's "hearts go out to Trillian Clifford, her daughter Alma, and all those in Sudan and are praying for their safety." A spokesperson said they are in touch with the federal government about Clifford's situation.

She said she is also turning to the media to get Clifford's story out there.

"We're just feeling really helpless," said Winter. "We hear of other countries working hard to try to get their citizens out. I know that it's hard for everyone right now — especially with the airport being under attack — but it feels awful when we're told that the U.S. is saying, 'No, we don't have plans for evacuation.' I feel that that's unacceptable."

With additional reporting from The Associated Press

This article was originally published on April 22, 2023.

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