U.S. Diplomats Evacuated from War-torn Sudan

RSF reports that six United States aircraft have evacuated U.S. diplomats and their families

Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, leader of the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), said the country has agreed to the evacuation of foreign nationals. It is made possible due to the promise made by his rival, Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo. Dagalo recently agreed to open airports for evacuation.  

The evacuation of U.S. diplomats was a military operation. A source familiar with the mission and remains anonymous stated the mission was a success. The United States Pentagon offered no further comments on the matter. 

Around 150 civilians from various nations have been evacuated and have safely reached Saudi Arabia. They were rescued after a brief lull in fighting. Several nations are committed to rescuing their citizens even though Sudan’s main airport is closed. 

Sudan’s involvement in the evacuations

The Sudanese army is in talks with several nations, such as America, Britain, France, China, etc., to discuss evacuation strategies for foreign nationals. The war continues to persist, with attacks reaching the main airport in Sudan. 

Army Chief Gen. Abdel Fattah Burhan is in contact with several state leaders to discuss evacuation plans. Foreign nations cannot repatriate their citizens from deadly clashes that have killed 400. Foreign nationals are asked to seek shelter in any safe place until the notice to evacuate arrives.

Burhan has stated that several Saudi nationals have been taken to Port Sudan and made to evacuate via airlift. According to video footage, Saudi nationals, and other foreign nationals were welcomed at the Saudi Port with chocolates and flowers.

He also stated that Jordanian citizens would be evacuated in the same manner.

United State’s Plan of Action

The United States agreed to the evacuation after an embassy convoy of U.S. citizens was attacked in Khartoum. As such, the U.S. troops were stationed at Camp Lemonnier in Djibouti ahead of carrying out the evacuation. 

The U.S. State Department claims that there are 16,000 American citizens currently stranded in Sudan. These citizens consist mainly of those maintaining dual citizenship. A spokesperson for the department said in a statement that they have full accountability for their personnel. Further discussions about their whereabouts or movements are prohibited.  

According to sources, around 70 U.S. troops were deployed. These troops were in charge of the evacuation in Sudan.

Britain’s Plan of Action

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, Defense Secretary Ben Wallace, and Africa Minister Andrew Mitchell convened a Cobra meeting. As a result, the British government stated they are doing everything possible to ensure the safe return of British nationals home. 

According to a UK government spokesperson, Britain recognises the danger faced by British nationals trapped in Sudan. Therefore, the Ministry of Defense and Foreign Office are developing contingencies to evacuate and ensure the safe return of British citizens and diplomatic staff stationed in Khartoum. 

France and Sudan in talks

Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, leader of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) is in talks with French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna. They had an in-depth discussion on the current scenario and the reasons that led to the worsening of the situation. 

They also discussed strategies on how to evacuate citizens of several nations. 

Current Scenario

A World Health Organisation (WHO) report claims that the war killed 400 individuals and injured 3,000 more. The citizens are facing shortages of food, water, electricity, and shelter. If the war continues to rage on, Sudan will face mass casualties and a population decline. 

An estimated 10,000–20,000 people have fled to the western region of Chad, according to the United Nations.