The US military is deploying “additional capabilities” nearby Sudan to secure the US embassy in the country and assist with a potential evacuation, if the situation calls for it, the Defense Department announced on Thursday.
That includes hundreds of Marines who are already in Camp Lemmonier in Djibouti, a US defense official told CNN, with aircraft capable of bringing in ground units to secure an embassy.
“The Department of Defense, through U.S. Africa Command, is monitoring the situation in Sudan and conducting prudent planning for various contingencies,” a statement from Pentagon spokesman Lt. Col. Phil Ventura said. “As part of this, we are deploying additional capabilities nearby in the region for contingency purposes related to securing and potentially facilitating the departure of U.S. Embassy personnel from Sudan, if circumstances require it.”
President Joe Biden has been monitoring the situation “very, very closely,” National Security Council coordinator for strategic communications John Kirby said Thursday. The president “authorized the military to move forward with pre-positioning forces and to develop options in case – and I want to stress right now – in case there’s a need for an evacuation,” Kirby said.
State Department principal deputy spokesperson Vedant Patel said Thursday that the department is in “close contact” with the embassy in Sudan.
“We’re engaging in this from all corners of the department and continue to have full accountability of our personnel,” he said.
The situation on the ground in Sudan has rapidly deteriorated as the Sudanese Armed Forces clash with the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces.
While the two factions attempted to reach a truce on Tuesday, fighting erupted just hours after the groups agreed on a 24-hour ceasefire. At least 270 people have been killed so…
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