The Pentagon is moving forces in East Africa in case they are needed to evacuate the U.S. Embassy in Sudan following days of intense fighting between warring factions vying for power in the country.
On Thursday, Defense Department officials said they were monitoring the deteriorating situation in Sudan’s capital of
, which threatened the security of U.S. diplomats and others. The fighting is between the army-dominated Sudanese government and a paramilitary group led by a rival general.in Djibouti, located on the Horn of Africa, U.S. defense officials told reporters. NBC News reported that one possible response force would be a combination of Marine air power and Army ground units.
“We are deploying additional capabilities nearby in the region for contingency purposes related to securing and potentially facilitating the departure of U.S. Embassy personnel from Sudan if circumstances require it,” Lt. Col. Phil Ventura, a Pentagon spokesman, said Thursday in a statement. “As a matter of policy and security, we do not speculate on potential future operations.”
With the fighting raging on for nearly a week in the capital and other cities, diplomats at the U.S. Embassy in Khartoum are calling on both parties to end hostilities and return to negotiations. Officials and private groups say that more than 270 civilians have already been killed in the clases, while access to hospitals and other medical services has been severely disrupted.
“Sudan’s military leaders must engage in dialogue without delay. Their actions across Sudan have placed countless people at risk and set back the Sudanese people’s rightful calls for a peaceful democratic transition,” the U.S. Embassy said in a statement.. The U.S. Embassy remains under a shelter-in-place order until further notice and is unable to provide emergency consular services.
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