On Saturday, the US military evacuated embassy officials from the Sudanese capital of Khartoum, as nations raced to extract their citizens after a week of intense battles. The decision came after the White House announced that it was temporarily suspending operations at its embassy in Sudan and had conducted an operation to remove US government personnel from the country.
President Joe Biden condemned the ongoing violence in Sudan, which has already claimed the lives of hundreds of innocent civilians. “It’s unconscionable and it must stop,” he said in a statement.
Around 100 special forces personnel were involved in the mission, evacuating the embassy staff. The move highlights the downward spiral in Sudan’s security since fierce fighting erupted last weekend between the country’s armed forces and a powerful paramilitary group.
Power Struggle in Sudan
Sudan has been wracked by a power struggle between the army led by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, better known as Hemeti, Sudan’s vice-president and commander of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The RSF has been accused of carrying out atrocities against civilians in the past, and the current violence has only exacerbated the situation.
The US State Department has refuted RSF claims that it aided in the evacuation of US embassy staff, stating that “this operation was conducted by the Department of Defense, and only by the Department of Defense.”
International Evacuations
Earlier on Saturday, Sudan’s military confirmed that Saudi diplomats had been evacuated, and that the UK, France, and China were also expected to send military aircraft to Khartoum to evacuate their diplomats in “the coming hours.”
Saudi Arabia’s foreign ministry said that it had evacuated 157 people, including 91 Saudis and citizens of other countries. State television showed a naval vessel arriving in the port city of Jeddah with evacuees.
Foreign governments have been racing against time to evacuate their citizens, as the clashes have paralysed Khartoum airport and destroyed a number of civilian aircraft. A French official declined to confirm the Sudanese claim that evacuations of French diplomats would soon begin. British officials cautioned against expecting an evacuation “in the coming hours,” but did not deny the likelihood that diplomats would be transported over the weekend.
UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak chaired an emergency meeting on Saturday morning with ministers, including Defence Secretary Ben Wallace, reflecting concerns in London about the situation in Sudan.
Humanitarian Toll
The violence in Sudan has already claimed the lives of more than 400 people, including at least four UN aid workers, with over 3,500 injured. The US State Department confirmed that an American citizen had been killed in the fighting, but did not provide further details.
Three employees with the World Food Programme and one from the International Organization for Migration have also died, and a US diplomatic convoy has been attacked, while the Norwegian diplomatic residence was hit by a missile. Other diplomatic delegations were also attacked.
The situation in Sudan remains volatile, and the international community is closely monitoring developments in the country. The hope is that a peaceful resolution can be found to end the ongoing violence and restore stability to the region.
The violence in Sudan has drawn international condemnation, with the United Nations (UN) and the African Union (AU) calling for an immediate end to the fighting. The UN has warned that the situation in the country could spiral into a full-scale civil war and has urged all parties to engage in dialogue to resolve the crisis.
The AU has also expressed concern over the situation in Sudan, with its Peace and Security Council calling for an immediate end to the violence and the resumption of the political transition process. The council has also emphasized the need for the international community to support Sudan in its efforts to achieve peace and stability.
The escalating violence has also led to the displacement of thousands of civilians, with many seeking refuge in neighboring countries. The UN estimates that more than 50,000 people have been displaced since the fighting began.
Image Credit: Maheen S/AP
