Sudan: US Embassy Convoy Under Attack, Ceasefire Crumbling
Secretary of State Antony Blinken confirmed on Tuesday that a US diplomatic convoy came under intense gunfire in the capital of Sudan following multiple days of fighting between the military and a rival paramilitary group amid a struggle to rule the nation.
Blinken in statements issued from Japan called the attack, which included at least 100 rounds fired on the US embassy convoy according to international reports, a “reckless” and “irresponsible” attack and called on both sides of the raging conflict to uphold the safety and security of American diplomatic personnel.
He confirmed that none of the Americans were injured and that the convoy came under fire despite clearly bearing diplomatic plates and a US flag. The attackers are believed affiliated with the Sudanese Rapid Support Forces (RSF) militia in Khartoum, especially given assailants from the same militia were likely behind a prior attack on the EU ambassador within his own residence.
The RSF has been engulfed in a battle with the country’s military over several days, with two rival generals leading the civil conflict, and as the death toll mounts, soaring past 185 killed as of Tuesday. UN Secretary-General António Guterres has warned that the spiralling conflict “is now catastrophic” for civilians and is an unfolding humanitarian disaster.
Blinken additionally in the Tuesday press briefing said he spoke by phone with the military chiefs of both rival sides. He informed the commander of the Sudanese military General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan as well as the commander of the RSF militia Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo (widely known as Hemedti) that they must ensure the safety of civilians, diplomatic personnel, and humanitarian workers.
The Sudanese army initially said it had agreed to a 24-hour pause in fighting starting Tuesday, but it appears to already be breaking down, as the RSF quickly charged that Sudanese armed forces had “failed to honour” the agreement.
Fresh fighting is once again breaking out. Over the weekend when heavy gunfire and explosions rocked the capital, US Embassy personnel and American citizens in the country were told to “shelter in place” – after which emergency evacuations commenced while the situation spiralled.
