In a statement, President Biden praised the “extraordinary effort” of the diplomatic staff. He also thanks Djibouti, Saudi Arabia and Ethiopia, which Biden said were “critical” in this evacuation. The president further announces that the US will continue to work “as far as possible” for US citizens in Sudan, the embassy is closed until further notice.
The US evacuation comes on the eighth day of bloody fighting between the paramilitary group Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and the Sudanese army in the capital Khartoum. On Friday, the warring parties agreed to a three-day ceasefire, but eyewitnesses reported to AFP news agency that heavy fighting resumed on Saturday. More than 400 people have been killed in the fighting, according to the World Health Organization.
On Saturday there was confusion about the possible evacuation of US embassy personnel, writes ‘The New York Times’. Because fighting took place around Khartoum airport, an evacuation seemed impossible last week. The newspaper calls the fact that the US has managed to remove diplomatic personnel “a bold move”.
US government sources tell Reuters news agency that the evacuation took place by plane. It was possible to fly to and from Khartoum “without any problems”. The aircraft would have been on the ground in Sudan for less than an hour.
What the departure of the Americans means for other countries is not clear.
Review: You should know this about the conflict in Sudan