The U.S. military successfully evacuated nearly 100 American staff members of the U.S. Embassy in Khartoum, Sudan, on Saturday(4/22/23), amid escalating violence and political unrest in the country. President Joe Biden gave the order to evacuate the embassy personnel after consulting with his national security team and receiving a request from the U.S. ambassador to Sudan.
The evacuation was carried out by a joint task force of U.S. Africa Command and U.S. Central Command, which deployed four C-17 Globemaster III aircraft and two KC-135 Stratotanker aircraft to transport the embassy staff and their belongings to a safe location. The operation also involved U.S. special operations forces, which provided security and coordination on the ground.
The U.S. military said the evacuation was conducted in a “safe and orderly manner” and that no injuries or casualties were reported among the evacuees or the U.S. forces. The U.S. military also thanked the Sudanese government and military for their cooperation and assistance in facilitating the evacuation.
The U.S. Embassy in Khartoum remains open with a reduced staff, and the U.S. government continues to monitor the situation in Sudan closely and hopes that Sudan can overcome this crisis and resume its path towards democracy, peace, and prosperity.