U.S. special operations forces carried out an evacuation of the American embassy in violence-torn Sudan, late Saturday.
The forces swept in and out of the capital, Khartoum, with helicopters on the ground for less than an hour. No shots were fired and no major casualties were reported.
With the last U.S. employee of the embassy out, Washington shut down the U.S. mission in Khartoum indefinitely. Left behind are thousands of Americans remaining in Sudan, with officials saying it would be too dangerous to carry out a broader evacuation mission.
In a statement thanking the troops, President Joe Biden said he was receiving regular reports from his team on efforts to assist those remaining Americans in Sudan to the extent possible.”
He also called for the end to “unconscionable” violence there as two rival commanders battled for power in the African country.
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The mission was conducted by about 100 U.S. soldiers in three MH-47 helicopters as conflict between two armed Sudanese commanders entered its second week and claimed more than 400 lives, threatened the country’s survival, and had potential repercussions well beyond its boundaries.
The American embassy staff were evacuated from a landing zone at the embassy to an undisclosed location in Ethiopia.
“I am proud of the extraordinary commitment of our Embassy staff, who performed their duties with courage and professionalism and embodied America’s friendship and connection with the people of Sudan,” Biden said in a statement.
“I am grateful for the unmatched skill of our service members who successfully brought them to safety.”
Biden ordered American troops to evacuate embassy personnel after receiving a recommendation earlier Saturday from his national security team with no end in sight to the fighting.
“This tragic violence in Sudan has already cost the lives of hundreds of innocent civilians. It’s unconscionable and it must stop,” Biden said.
“The belligerent parties must implement an immediate and unconditional ceasefire, allow unhindered humanitarian access, and respect the will of the people of Sudan.”