Nearly 1K US citizens evacuated from war-torn Sudan since violence started

WASHINGTON: Until now, the United States has successfully evacuated over 1,000 citizens from war-torn Sudan since the start of the violence, the State Department Principal Deputy Spokesperson Vedant Patel said on Monday (Local Time).

In a video shared by the official Twitter handle of the US State Department, Patel said, "In a multinational effort. The US government, in concert with allies and partners, has facilitated the departure of over 1000 US citizens from Sudan since the start of the violence."

"This effort has included intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, overwatch close coordination with partner nations on flights and convoys, and a sustained diplomatic and messaging effort to approximately 5000 US citizens who have sought our guidance," he added.

The US State Department also announced that a third government-organized convoy had successfully evacuated its citizens and others amid the crisis in Sudan.

"Three US Government facilitated convoys successfully enabled groups of US Citizens, their immediate family members, and nationals from allied and partner countries to arrive safely in Port Sudan on April 29, April 30, and today," Patel said.

He further stated that they have positioned personnel to assist with consular and emergency services for US citizens.

Patel informed that more than 200 US government officials have been working around the clock since the start of the crisis 24x7 to coordinate these efforts with allies and partners to facilitate the safe departure of US citizens.

"Since April 24, we have moved State Department personnel from Washington, DC and overseas missions, including, among others, to Djibouti, Jeddah Nakosia and Nairobi to assist US citizens departing Sudan," Patel said in the video.

"Additionally, US consular officers are on hand in Port Sudan to provide consular assistance to US citizens. I will note the security environment is dynamic and the positioning of our personnel import Sudan may be subject to change. Task force personnel here in DC and those supporting US citizens departing Sudan at posts in the region have worked more than 1200 collective hours," he added.

Patel said that the US continue to call on the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces to end the fighting that is, endangering all civilians. And also reiterated its warning to US citizens to not travel to Sudan.

Sudan is experiencing bloodshed as a result of clashes between the army and paramilitary forces.

Even though there is a 72-hour ceasefire, there have been allegations of violence.

Fighting has erupted between soldiers loyal to Sudanese army leader Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and his deputy, paramilitary Rapid Support Soldiers (RSF) commander Mohamed Hamdan Daglo.

Committed to ensuring that no Indian national is left behind in Sudan, India started Operation Kaveri on April 24 and has also deployed its military planes and warships in the war-torn country. On Monday, under Operation Kaveri, the IAF C-130 J flight brings the 17th batch of evacuees from Port Sudan to Jeddah with 122 Indians.

"IAF C-130 J flight brings 17th batch of evacuees from Port Sudan to Jeddah. 122 Indians evacuated by this flight," Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said in a statement.