Sudan: Evacuation efforts ongoing as of April 24 /update 1

Event

Evacuation efforts are ongoing in Sudan, particularly in Khartoum, as of April 24, due to the ongoing armed conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) across the country.

The US government evacuated all diplomatic personnel and suspended all operations at its embassy in Khartoum as of April 23. 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 UK has evacuated all its embassy staff as of April 23. Belgium, France, and the Netherlands have jointly planned to evacuate European nationals. A French convoy reportedly came under fire on April 23 as it attempted to leave Khartoum, injuring one French national. Other European countries, including Germany, Italy, Sweden, Spain, Canada, Jordan, Kuwait, India, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, and Turkey, as well as the UN, have carried out evacuations or plans to do so. It is not always clear whether foreign governments plan to evacuate embassy staff or all of their foreign nationals. Some governments are also evacuating other nationalities.

While exact details are not provided, foreign governments have reportedly evacuated their staff and nationals based in Khartoum by road to either connect an operational airport outside the capital or Port Sudan. Port Sudan enables ferry routes, including toward Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Sudan's Khartoum International Airport (KRT) airport remains closed as of April 24, while the Sudanese airspace is closed to commercial traffic through at least April 30.

Context

The evacuation of 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 420 people, including one US citizen, as of April 24.

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.