US special forces evacuate embassy staff from Sudan

The United States special forces have evacuated the country’s embassy staff from Sudan.

Violent clashes between Sudan’s army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group, have killed over 400 people, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO).

Thousands of civilians have fled Khartoum, Sudan’s capital, with foreign nations making efforts to evacuate their citizens.

In a statement on Sunday, President Joe Biden said on his order, the military conducted the evacuation operation from Khartoum in response to the situation.

Biden also said the US will “temporarily” suspend operations at the US embassy in Sudan, but added that its commitment to the Sudanese people is unending.

“I am grateful for the commitment of our Embassy staff and the skill of our service members who brought them to safety,” the statement reads.

“I am receiving regular reports from my team on their ongoing work to assist Americans in Sudan, to the extent possible. We are also working closely with our allies and partners in this effort.

“This tragic violence in Sudan has already cost the lives of hundreds of innocent civilians. It’s unconscionable and it must stop.”

Also in a statement, the US department of defence said under 100 US embassy staff and allied diplomats were evacuated in the operation.

“The evacuation was conducted in one movement via rotary wing. The operation was fast and clean, with service members spending less than an hour on the ground in Khartoum. As we speak, the evacuees are safe and secure,” the statement quoted Douglas Sims, joint staff’s director of operations as saying.

Lloyd Austin, the secretary of defence, said the evacuation was under US Africa command and conducted in close coordination with the US state department.

“I’m proud of our extraordinary service members who executed and supported this operation with outstanding precision and professionalism,” he said.