On his orders, Joe Biden said on Saturday, the US had evacuated its government employees from Khartoum and had temporarily halted operations at its embassy in Sudan.
Ethiopia, Djibouti, and Saudi Arabia, he claimed in a White House statement, were “instrumental” in the evacuation’s success.
The US Africa Command oversaw the evacuation in close coordination with the State Department. Washington was very clear that the Sudanese Rapid Support Forces (RSF) were not at all a part of the operation.
According to State Department Under Secretary for Management John Bass, “they cooperated to the extent that they did not fire on our service members during the operation.” In his comments, Biden stated that while
The US’s commitment “to the Sudanese people and the future they want is never-ending” despite the temporary suspension of embassy operations in Sudan.
The decision to temporarily halt embassy operations is “always difficult,” but Secretary of State Antony Blinken acknowledged in a separate statement that it has been made due to the “increasing and serious risks” posed by the violence and because the safety of the embassy workers is “a priority.”
Washington emphasized that it will keep Americans informed and aid them out with their “own security” in Sudan. According to the Biden administration, Djibouti is exploring the employment of “maritime assets” in Sudan’s port as well as information, surveillance, and reconnaissance resources to study potential escape routes and identify dangers.
