US Evacuates Personnel From Sudan’s Capital Amid “Unconscionable” Fighting.
On Saturday, April 22, 2023, the US military evacuated American embassy staff from Khartoum due to ongoing violence between the Sudanese army and a paramilitary group.
In a statement, President Joe Biden called for an “immediate and unconditional ceasefire,” “unhindered humanitarian access,” and respect for the will of the Sudanese people. He praised the “courage and professionalism” of the embassy staff and said that the embassy was “temporarily suspending operations.”
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken issued a separate statement, saying that he had ordered the evacuation of staff and their families due to “serious and growing security risks.”
He also reminded both sides of their obligations under international humanitarian law to protect civilians and called for the extension and expansion of a ceasefire agreement over the Eid al-Fitr holiday.
The fighting between the Sudanese army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan’s forces and his former deputy Mohamed Hamdan Daglo’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF) began on April 15 over a dispute about the planned integration of the RSF into the regular army.
The integration was a key condition for a deal aimed at restoring Sudan’s democratic transition after the military toppled former leader Omar al-Bashir in April 2019 following mass citizen protests.
The two men had initially joined forces to oust a civilian government installed after Bashir’s downfall but turned on each other.
The ongoing fighting has left hundreds dead and thousands wounded. The US government’s evacuation of embassy staff underscores the seriousness of the situation and highlights the need for an immediate end to the violence and a return to the path of democratic transition in Sudan.