The US embassy staff remained in Sudan on Wednesday despite ongoing attacks between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
State Department Prioritizes US Embassy Staff’s Safety
According to Molly Phee, Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, the State Department could not easily evacuate US embassy staff from Sudan after the airport was closed and damaged due to the ongoing attacks.
As an initial response, the State Department intends to gather all US embassy staff in one place to provide them with what they needed, especially shelter and a safe place to evacuate, CNN reported.
While looking for the best way to get them out of the country, State Department officials were doing their best to stay in contact with the Pentagon officials to provide evacuation shelters to US embassy staff and affected US citizens, who are now living in fear because of the volatile situation.
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US Calls for a Ceasefire Between SAF and RSF
The US officials are now anticipating the upcoming Eid holiday, which may result in a potential ceasefire between the SAF and the RSF, giving them more chances to safely get the US embassy staff out of Sudan.
Furthermore, the State Department also hopes that a potential ceasefire will allow them to conduct evacuation operations and ensure the safety of all US embassy staff and other US citizens in Sudan.