US Special Forces carry out evacuation of American embassy in Sudan
23 April 2023
US Special Operations forces have conducted a dangerous evacuation of the American embassy in Sudan's capital, Khartoum. The forces swept in and out of the embassy within an hour, evacuating all remaining embassy personnel with the aid of three MH-47 helicopters. The US has closed the embassy indefinitely, leaving behind thousands of American citizens in the country. The decision was taken due to the increasing violence between two rival Sudanese commanders, which has claimed the lives of over 400 people. Although the US has expressed a desire to evacuate all remaining American citizens, officials have said it is too dangerous to conduct a broader evacuation mission.
US President Joe Biden thanked the troops for their service and expressed his gratitude for the assistance provided by Ethiopia, Djibouti and Saudi Arabia. He also called for an immediate end to the violence, which he described as "unconscionable". In a statement, he said: "I am proud of the extraordinary commitment of our Embassy staff, who performed their duties with courage and professionalism and embodied America’s friendship and connection with the people of Sudan. I am grateful for the unmatched skill of our service members who successfully brought them to safety."
The violence began on 15 April between two commanders who jointly orchestrated a military coup 18 months earlier to derail Sudan's transition to democracy. The ongoing power struggle between the armed forces chief and the head of the Rapid Support Forces paramilitary group has caused many Sudanese to cower inside their homes, hiding from explosions, gunfire and looting. The fighting has included an unprovoked attack on an American diplomatic convoy and incidents in which foreign diplomats and aid workers were killed, injured or assaulted.
Embassy evacuations conducted by the US military are relatively rare and usually take place only under extreme conditions. When the State Department orders an embassy to draw down staff or suspend operations, it prefers its personnel to leave on commercial transportation if possible. However, in several recent cases, conditions made commercial departures impossible or extremely hazardous.
US President Joe Biden thanked the troops for their service and expressed his gratitude for the assistance provided by Ethiopia, Djibouti and Saudi Arabia. He also called for an immediate end to the violence, which he described as "unconscionable". In a statement, he said: "I am proud of the extraordinary commitment of our Embassy staff, who performed their duties with courage and professionalism and embodied America’s friendship and connection with the people of Sudan. I am grateful for the unmatched skill of our service members who successfully brought them to safety."
The violence began on 15 April between two commanders who jointly orchestrated a military coup 18 months earlier to derail Sudan's transition to democracy. The ongoing power struggle between the armed forces chief and the head of the Rapid Support Forces paramilitary group has caused many Sudanese to cower inside their homes, hiding from explosions, gunfire and looting. The fighting has included an unprovoked attack on an American diplomatic convoy and incidents in which foreign diplomats and aid workers were killed, injured or assaulted.
Embassy evacuations conducted by the US military are relatively rare and usually take place only under extreme conditions. When the State Department orders an embassy to draw down staff or suspend operations, it prefers its personnel to leave on commercial transportation if possible. However, in several recent cases, conditions made commercial departures impossible or extremely hazardous.
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