US evacuates embassy in Sudan's capital Khartoum
The Biden administration doesn't see an evacuation effort for the estimated 16,000 American citizens in Sudan as possible in the coming days, but Pentagon and State Department officials said they are exploring options to make the overland route out of the country more viable.
WASHINGTON — US special operations forces led an evacuation of American diplomatic staff from Sudan's capital Khartoum late on Saturday night, two US officials familiar with the operation told Al-Monitor.
US Africa Command and Joint Special Operations Command led the operation, which was carried out by US Navy’s SEAL Team 6 and Army Special Forces personnel and culminated in a helicopter evacuation from the US embassy compound in Khartoum, one source said.
Some 70 US diplomatic staff had been sheltering in place since at various locations in Khartoum since fighting between forces loyal to rival generals broke out across the country last week, leaving more than 400 people dead.
American personnel had consolidated at the embassy by Friday night before being evacuated to Djibouti via Ethiopia, Al-Monitor has learned. A US diplomatic convoy came under fire earlier this week during a prior attempt to gather US personnel at one location. All were successfully evacuated Saturday night, officials said.
