In a written statement, Blinken said, “The US State Department has announced that it has temporarily suspended activities at our embassy in Khartoum, Sudan, and has safely evacuated all US personnel and family members whose safety is under our responsibility. Suspending activities at our embassy is always a difficult decision, but the safety of our staff It is my primary responsibility,” he said.
Stating that he took this decision because the conflicts between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces created serious and increasing security risks, Blinken made the following assessments:
“Large-scale conflicts have caused civilian deaths, injuries and significant infrastructure damage and have posed an unacceptable risk to our embassy personnel. I appreciate the skill and professionalism of our field team, US military forces and other elements of our government in carrying out this evacuation mission.”
Blinken stated that they will continue to help Americans in Sudan plan for their own safety and will regularly provide information to US citizens in the region.
Calling on the parties to the conflicts in Sudan to extend the ceasefire immediately for the Eid al-Fitr, Blinken noted that they reminded the parties of their obligations under international humanitarian law and the protection of civilians.
Meanwhile, the State Department issued a new travel warning for Sudan, urging US citizens not to travel to this country, while US citizens staying there should leave the country.