Washington has advised its 16,000 citizens in the war-torn country to take shelter because evacuation would be too dangerous.

The US Embassy in Sudan has issued a security alert advising the country’s approximately 16,000 US citizens to take shelter because it is currently unsafe to conduct an evacuation effort amid fierce fighting between government forces and militants in Khartoum.

The violence is so fierce that the embassy itself remains under a shelter-in-place order and cannot provide consular services, according to an alert issued Saturday. US officials cited ongoing fighting and gunfire in and around Khartoum.

“There have also been reports of assaults, home invasions and looting,” the embassy said. “US citizens are advised to stay indoors, shelter in place until further notice and avoid travel to the US Embassy.”

Khartoum airport is currently closed and the embassy has distanced itself from any efforts to get people out of the country by traveling the 500-mile land route to Port Sudan on the Red Sea. “It is currently unsafe to conduct a US government-coordinated evacuation of private US citizens,” the warning said. “There is incomplete information about major convoys leaving Khartoum and traveling to Port Sudan. The embassy cannot assist convoys. Travel in any convoy is at your own risk.”

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Armed conflict in Sudan: what you need to know

The US military has reportedly deployed additional troops to a base in Djibouti to prepare for a possible evacuation of US personnel to Sudan. No decision has yet been made on whether to close the embassy, ​​which has about 70 American employees.

Violence in the East African country has intensified in recent days as government troops battle Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF) amid a dispute over the paramilitary group’s planned integration into the army A US embassy convoy was attacked by militants on Monday. At least one American has been killed since the fighting began earlier this month. The conflict has left hundreds dead on both sides.

The Sudanese Armed Forces said earlier on Saturday that diplomatic personnel from the United States, the United Kingdom, France and China would be evacuated by air using military aircraft provided by Khartoum. Sudan’s army chief, General Fattah al-Burhan, agreed to facilitate the evacuation “in the next few hours,” according to the notice.

Saudi Arabia has already evacuated more than 150 people from Sudan by sea. More than 60 of the evacuees were from other countries, including Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Pakistan and Canada.

READ MORE: The Pentagon prepares an armed mission in Sudan

UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak held a meeting of his government’s emergency response committee, including Defense Secretary Ben Wallace, to discuss “a range of contingencies”. Britain’s Foreign Office said on Saturday that in the event of a ceasefire, “any decision to move must be made at individual risk”.

US handling of the Sudan situation is coming under additional scrutiny due to the government’s chaotic August 2021 evacuation of Afghanistan, which left hundreds dead and thousands of Americans stranded .

READ MORE: Civilians running out of essential supplies in Khartoum: aid workers

US House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul sent a letter to Secretary of State Anthony Blinken on Friday, “expressing grave concerns for the safety of all American citizens in Sudan and urging the State Department not to repeat the mistakes of the evacuation from Afghanistan.”

Today, CHM @RepMcCaul sent a letter to @SecBlinken expressing serious concerns for the safety of all US citizens in Sudan and urging the @StateDept not to repeat the mistakes of the Afghanistan evacuation. Read an excerpt of the letter here⬇️ pic.twitter.com/0TEnX62VNx

— House Foreign Affairs Committee Majority (@HouseForeignGOP) April 21, 2023

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