Foreign Countries Evacuate Citizens From Sudan Amid Ongoing Clash

As the violence in Sudan rages on, other countries are evacuating their citizens and coordinating aid for the many who remain trapped in the North African country. The fighting began on Saturday between the army and the paramilitary group Rapid Support Forces. Both sides had previously worked together to seize power in a 2021 military coup, but tensions had since risen over the future of the Rapid Support Forces and the consolidation of power.

Amid the chaos, the U.S. embassy in the capital city is now closed. According to a tweet from the official embassy feed, it is currently unsafe for the U.S. government to remove its private citizens from the country. In the tweet, the embassy also issues safety precautions for U.S. citizens still trapped in the country. The U.K. government has airlifted British diplomats and their families from the country, while over 1,000 European Union citizens have been taken out of Sudan. Individual countries have also been evacuating citizens, with the French government stating that a plane had arrived in Djibouti carrying French citizens on Sunday. According to the NL Times, evacuation efforts began for citizens of the Netherlands on Sunday. Canada and Turkey have also joined in removing their citizens. According to reports, about 20,000 people have fled Sudan to seek safety in Chad, one of its bordering countries.

According to BBC News, South African diplomat Clayson Monyea said ongoing fighting meant that all routes out of Khartoum were "risky and dangerous." Foreign students have also made desperate calls for help — from Africa, Asia, and the Middle East — who are stuck in Khartoum, and the internet monitoring group NetBlocks said Sudan was amid an "internet blackout."

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the ongoing violence has killed over 400 people and injured thousands.

This is a developing story.