Sudan fighting: Countries begin efforts to rescue stranded citizens

Speed and scale of violent escalation in Khartoum took many by surprise, leaving many foreigners trapped in the city

Burning aircraft at Khartoum International Airport. Maxar Technologies / EPA

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Soldiers from Japan and Germany were preparing to evacuate citizens from Sudan's capital Khartoum on Wednesday, with countries around the world scrambling to evaluate the situation as heavy fighting rocked the city.

The German military halted a plan to rescue about 160 people, after the military said it was unsafe to launch the operation. The Germany Air Force dispatched three A400M transport planes for the mission early on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, the Japanese government said a contingent from the country's Self Defence Forces was preparing to rescue about 60 citizens, Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno said. The Japan Times said they were embassy staff and staff from the national aid organisation, the Japan International Co-operation Agency (JICA).

No US citizens will be evacuated from Sudan, the White House said on Tuesday, adding that Americans must "shelter in place" and that it was assessing the situation as fighting rages across the capital Khartoum and outlying cities.

The announcement comes after a US diplomatic convoy came under fire on Monday, while the residence of the EU ambassador to Sudan was also attacked, with reports that ambassador Aidan O'Hara was assaulted but "not seriously hurt", according to Ireland's Foreign Ministry.

Airspace over the country is closed and thick black clouds of smoke are billowing from the city’s main international airport, with reports of up to 20 planes having been destroyed on the runway and fuel depots blown up.

The US statement comes as governments around the world are urgently contacting embassies in the Sudanese capital, to assess the safety of their citizens.

Damage to a building in Khartoum. AFP

Sudan has been rocked by almost five days of near constant violence as two rivals, Gen Abdel Fattah Al Burhan, who runs the Sudanese armed forces and ousted a transitional government in 2021, fights with his former ally, Gen Mohamed Dagalo, who runs a powerful militia, the Rapid Security Forces (RSF).

Hundreds of foreign aid agencies and investors are still active in the country, and the sudden escalation of violence caught many off guard.

Before the current conflict, a coalition of civilian opposition groups had mounted months of protests against the military-led government.

White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre said US citizens should remain sheltered in place. The US State Department said it had set up a Sudan Military Conflict Task Force, with one of its roles being to ensure the safety of Americans in Sudan, and prepare for a range of scenarios in the country.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry also said it was in contact with its embassy in Sudan “to make the utmost efforts to protect the safety and security of Chinese nationals and institutions”, spokesman Wang Wenbin said.

There were reports on Tuesday of two Chinese professors being evacuated from a Confucius Institute in Khartoum, one of the education establishments China has set up globally as part of a soft power initiative.

The foreign ministry said it would “decide whether to evacuate Chinese nationals from Sudan after making a final judgment of the situation”.

Malaysia also said it was in the process of making “risk assessments” after oil company Petronas was forced to evacuate its Khartoum complex. Another complex housing the country’s embassy in Sudan was also apparently overrun by assailants, but there were no casualties and no reports of who was responsible.

"Malaysia also expressed its objection to the actions of certain parties who broke into the complex," Foreign Minister Zambry bin Abdul Kadir said on Tuesday.

While many governments said they were looking at plans to rescue stranded citizens, Norway, the UK and France all said citizens should stay in shelter, while those planning to travel to Sudan should cancel their arrangements.