Nearly 1,000 Americans extracted from Sudan as evacuations continue, State Department says
Fox News
A second U.S.-led convoy arrived in Port Sudan Sunday carrying hundreds of Americans who are being evacuated from Sudan amid violent conflict in the region, the State Department announced.
Nearly 1,000 Americans have now been evacuated from Sudan over the last week, State said. The department tweeted Sunday that the latest convoy of evacuees would soon be heading across the Red Sea to the Saudi Arabian port of Jeddah.
“We are assisting U.S. citizens and others who are eligible with onward travel to Jeddah, where additional personnel are ready to assist with consular & emergency services,” Matthew Miller, a spokesperson for the State Department, tweeted Sunday.
US GOVERNMENT BEGINS LAND EVACUATION OF AMERICAN CIVILIANS IN SUDAN: OFFICIAL
Civil conflict in Sudan escalated in April, which sparked U.S.-led evacuation efforts.
A U.S. official confirmed to Fox News Saturday that there is an ongoing effort to bus Americans to the Red Sea, where Port Sudan is located.
US EVACUATES PRIVATE CITIZENS FROM SUDAN FOR FIRST TIME
Miller said organized evacuation efforts include a variety of transportation methods.
“Departure options for U.S. citizens have included seats on partner country flights, partner country and international organization convoys, U.S. government organized convoys, and departure via sea as well,” Miller tweeted Sunday.
The efforts mark a shift from the State Department, which stated last week that “due to the uncertain security situation in Khartoum and closure of the airport, it is not currently safe to undertake a U.S. government-coordinated evacuation of private U.S. citizens.”
Violent conflict between the Sudanese army and paramilitary Rapid Support Forces has left hundreds dead in the region.