SUDAN: The United States, UK, Italy, Belgium, Turkey, Japan, and the Netherlands have all evacuated diplomats. A French convoy had to turn around after being fired upon as it attempted to exit the embassy. The Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and the regular army each laid the responsibility for the assault at the other’s feet.
The French foreign ministry announced that it was evacuating its citizens and those of other EU countries and allies, with less than 100 people flying in a “fast and clean” operation involving Chinook helicopters.
Lt. Gen. Douglas Sims revealed that more than 100 US soldiers from the Army Special Forces and Navy Seals flew from Djibouti to Ethiopia and Sudan, where they spent less than an hour on the ground.
It appears that the RSF agreed to refrain from firing on the American helicopters during their operation, despite there being no official ceasefire in place.
The US government has decided to close the embassy in Khartoum due to the area not being secure enough for private US citizens to be evacuated. An airfield outside of Khartoum served as the departure point for ambassadors, their families, and some kids.
Foreign Minister James Cleverly warned there were “severely limited” alternatives for getting UK citizens out of Sudan.
More than 150 individuals were evacuated by boat to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on Saturday. Internet connectivity in Sudan has virtually disappeared, making it difficult to organise aid for those besieged in Khartoum and other towns.
The three-day halt to observe the Muslim festival of Eid al-Fitr was one of several ceasefires agreed upon by both parties in Khartoum and elsewhere. This was due to the ongoing shooting and bombing in Khartoum and elsewhere.
The World Health Organisation reports that more than 400 people have died and others have been injured in the conflict in Darfur. Residents are struggling to access treatment due to the closure of the majority of the city’s hospitals.
The UN has warned that up to 20,000 people have left Sudan in search of safety in Chad, which is on the other side of the border from Darfur.
Also Read: White House Affirms Evacuation of all US Embassy Staff from War-inflicted Sudan
