Dr Mohammad, a paediatrician in the Sudanese city of Omdurman, no longer drives his car, preferring to walk instead for his own safety.
The decision came after a man was shot and killed across the street from his hospital “by armed men who stole the man's belongings, including his car”, he said.
Residents say such incidents have become common in the two months since fighting broke out between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces in Khartoum and the adjoining cities of Omdurman and Bahri.
More than 866 have been killed and at least 6,000 injured, the Ministry of Health's latest figures show.
Hundreds of thousands have fled to other parts of Sudan or to neighbouring countries amid the fighting and mass looting of homes, vehicles, shops, banks, embassies and international organisations.
Dr Mohammad, whose last name has been withheld for his own safety, is one of the few paediatricians left in the city.
He said the man shot near his hospital was a new father who had gone out to get milk and other supplies for his baby, born after eight years of trying to have a child.
“It was devastating,” he said.
Gasim Oshi, from the Beit Al Mal neighbourhood of Omdurman, said he had witnessed “all types of atrocities”.
“Our neighbourhood was fully occupied by the RSF because of its strategic location near the national radio and television station and the police headquarters,” said Mr Oshi, who sought safety in the city of Wad Madani, about 140km away, 46 days after fighting began.
“People were shot for seemingly no reason. We stopped using our car to get groceries because the possibility of being stopped by armed forces and being threatened into handing over belongings, including cars, is very high.”
Mr Oshi said a neighbour living in Saudi Arabia asked Mr Oshi and a friend to go to his house to deflate the tyres of one of his cars and drive the other to a safe location.
“So we did,” he said. “But two days later, my friend was driving the man's car and was stopped on the street by armed men.
“They tried to take the car and when he tried to negotiate with them, they began firing live ammunition in the air and near his feet.”
A few days later, Mr Oshi discovered that even the car with the deflated tyres had been towed away.
“They are first-class thieves,” he said.
'Spoils of war'
A Khartoum-based Facebook group called Lost and Found is mostly filled with pictures of missing vehicles. On May 28, the group's founder, Mohamed El Sheikh, posted the license plates of two Hyundai Accent cars that had gone missing.
On June 9, the RSF posted a video of their forces “combing the streets of Al Yarmouk” in south Khartoum. Two minutes and 42 seconds in, one of the missing cars is shown.
Norwegian Refugee Council worker Ahmed Omer told The National that his family had to leave their car behind when escaping, choosing instead to make the gruelling trip to the Egyptian border by public transport. Many who have left their homes and cars behind have presumed their belongings stolen.
“It was too dangerous to take the car,” he said. “Now the car is left behind in our old neighbourhood. It has most likely been stolen by now as the area is taken over by armed groups.”
Earlier this month, a self-proclaimed RSF member said on Twitter that the group considered homes and vehicles “spoils of war” that serve a “higher cause”.
The alleged fighter's Twitter account has since been taken down.
Punchy appearance
Roars of support buoyed Mr Johnson in an extremely confident and combative appearance
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre V8
Power: 503hp at 6,000rpm
Torque: 685Nm at 2,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Price: from Dh850,000
On sale: now
'Avengers: Infinity War'
Dir: The Russo Brothers
Starring: Chris Evans, Chris Pratt, Tom Holland, Robert Downey Junior, Scarlett Johansson, Elizabeth Olsen
Four stars
Pieces of Her
Stars: Toni Collette, Bella Heathcote, David Wenham, Omari Hardwick
Director: Minkie Spiro
Rating:2/5
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
'Downton Abbey: A New Era'
Director: Simon Curtis
Cast: Hugh Bonneville, Elizabeth McGovern, Maggie Smith, Michelle Dockery, Laura Carmichael, Jim Carter and Phyllis Logan
Rating: 4/5
Skewed figures
In the village of Mevagissey in southwest England the housing stock has doubled in the last century while the number of residents is half the historic high. The village's Neighbourhood Development Plan states that 26% of homes are holiday retreats. Prices are high, averaging around £300,000, £50,000 more than the Cornish average of £250,000. The local average wage is £15,458.
Moon Music
Artist: Coldplay
Label: Parlophone/Atlantic
Number of tracks: 10
Rating: 3/5
RESULT
Shabab Al Ahli Dubai 0 Al Ain 6
Al Ain: Caio (5', 73'), El Shahat (10'), Berg (65'), Khalil (83'), Al Ahbabi (90' 2)
RACE CARD
4pm Al Bastakiya – Listed (TB) $150,000 (Dirt) 1,900m
4.35pm Dubai City Of Gold – Group 2 (TB) $228,000 (Turf) 2,410m
5.10pm Mahab Al Shimaal – Group 3 (TB) $228,000 (D) 1,200m
5.45pm Burj Nahaar – Group 3 (TB) $228,000 (D) 1,600m
6.20pm Jebel Hatta – Group 1 (TB) $260,000 (T) 1,800m
6.55pm Al Maktoum Challenge Round-1 – Group 1 (TB) $390,000 (D) 2,000m
7.30pm Nad Al Sheba – Group 3 (TB) $228,000 (T) 1,200m
ELECTION%20RESULTS
%3Cp%3EMacron%E2%80%99s%20Ensemble%20group%20won%20245%20seats.%26nbsp%3B%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EThe%20second-largest%20group%20in%20parliament%20is%20Nupes%2C%20a%20leftist%20coalition%20led%20by%20Jean-Luc%20Melenchon%2C%20which%20gets%20131%20lawmakers.%26nbsp%3B%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EThe%20far-right%20National%20Rally%20fared%20much%20better%20than%20expected%20with%2089%20seats.%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EThe%20centre-right%20Republicans%20and%20their%20allies%20took%2061.%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
HIJRA
Starring: Lamar Faden, Khairiah Nathmy, Nawaf Al-Dhufairy
Director: Shahad Ameen
Rating: 3/5
Getting%20there
%3Cp%3EGiven%20its%20remote%20location%2C%20getting%20to%20Borneo%20can%20feel%20daunting%20even%20for%20the%20most%20seasoned%20traveller.%20But%20you%20can%20fly%20directly%20from%20Kuala%20Lumpur%20to%20Sandakan%20and%20Sepilok%20is%20only%20half%20an%20hour%20away%20by%20taxi.%20Sandakan%20has%20plenty%20of%20accommodation%20options%2C%20while%20Sepilok%20has%20a%20few%20nature%20lodges%20close%20to%20the%20main%20attractions.%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
David Haye record
Total fights: 32
Wins: 28
Wins by KO: 26
Losses: 4
About Takalam
Date started: early 2020
Founders: Khawla Hammad and Inas Abu Shashieh
Based: Abu Dhabi
Sector: HealthTech and wellness
Number of staff: 4
Funding to date: Bootstrapped
How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
- Submit their request
What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
- Should have a live feed of the drone flight
- Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
Where to buy
Limited-edition art prints of The Sofa Series: Sultani can be acquired from Reem El Mutwalli at www.reemelmutwalli.com
In numbers: China in Dubai
The number of Chinese people living in Dubai: An estimated 200,000
Number of Chinese people in International City: Almost 50,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2018/19: 120,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2010: 20,000
Percentage increase in visitors in eight years: 500 per cent
