US evacuates embassy staff in Sudan as violence spreads

Dozens have been airlifted to safety in Djibouti amid growing violence in Khartoum

- Gordon Lubold

The U.S. military conducted an emergency evacuation of dozens of American government personnel from the capital in Sudan after the security situation in Khartoum grew too dangerous for the U.S. to maintain a presence there, White House officials said late Saturday.

Several U.S. military aircraft, flying in the early morning hours local time, were used to take American personnel from Khartoum to Camp Lemonnier in the East African nation of Djibouti. About 100 U.S. Special Forces took part in the mission to evacuate nearly 100 embassy personnel, American officials said.

President Biden, in a statement late Saturday, hailed what he said was a successful operation by the U.S. Embassy staff and the military, and thanked Djibouti, Ethiopia and Saudi Arabia for assisting in the rescue.

Mr. Biden also noted other Americans remain in the country. "I am receiving regular reports from my team on their ongoing work to assist Americans in Sudan, to the extent possible," Mr. Biden said in the statement. "We are also working closely with our allies and partners in this effort." Mr. Biden called for an "immediate and unconditional" cease-fire in Sudan, where the fighting between warring military factions has already cost hundreds of lives, and said the U.S. commitment to Sudan would continue even if the evacuation of embassy staff meant a temporary suspension of American diplomatic presence there.

"This tragic violence in Sudan has already cost the lives of hundreds of innocent civilians," Mr. Biden said. "It's unconscionable and it must stop."