Sudan: US evacuates all diplomatic staff from the embassy in Khartoum April 23

Event

The US government evacuated all diplomatic personnel and suspended all operations at its embassy in Khartoum as of April 23 due to the ongoing armed conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) across Sudan. While officials have announced that the closure is temporary, the embassy has not yet provided information on when consular services will resume or where US nationals remaining in Sudan can obtain emergency consular services if required.

The Saudi Royal Navy evacuated around 150 civilians, including diplomats and international officials, from Port Sudan to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, April 22. Other countries, including Britain, France, and China, are reportedly planning to evacuate their nationals from Sudan by military plane due to ongoing clashes. Sudan's Khartoum International Airport (KRT) airport remains closed as of April 23.

Context

The evacuation of US diplomatic personnel comes after two weeks of deadly clashes between the SAF and RSF across Sudan, triggered by persistent tensions between the two security groups. The recent fighting between the SAF and RSF is part of a years-long power struggle between Sudan's de facto ruler General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and the leader of the RSF, General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, widely known as Hemedti. The pair have disagreed over several issues, notably including plans to integrate the RSF into the SAF, which would effectively result in Hemedti losing control over the former. Related clashes have killed more than 410 people, including one US citizen, as of April 23.

Advice

Maintain contact with your diplomatic representation. Ensure that contingencies account for disruptions to consular support. Maintain flexible itineraries; monitor local media for updates on the situation and be prepared to change travel plans at short notice in response to developments.