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Sudan NEO

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Daily Updates

United Nations Humanitarian Air Service

United Nations Humanitarian Air Service aircraft arrives in Port Sudan,
Sudan on May 3, 2023. (UN photo)

The daily updates to this page have now been discontinued.

May 6 - 2023

Ceasefire. The Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) and Rapid Support Forces (RSF) entered into ceasefire talks in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on May 6, 2023. One topic on the agenda was the establishment of humanitarian corridors for the flow of refugees and humaniatarian aid.

Fighting. The battle continues in the area around Khartoum although it may have subsided, if only temporarily, in other parts of the country. The continued fighting has led to widespread shortages of essential items and limited access to services. The World Food Program has resumed operations in Sudan.

USAID Report. The heaviest concentration of internally displaced persons and refugees appear to be in the western region of Sudan - known as Darfur. Several areas of Sudan are experiencing a food crisis.

May 4 - 2023

U.S. State Department Security Alert. On May 7 at 7:40 am (D.C. time), the Department of State issued updated information for U.S. citizens in Sudan. DoS can no longer assist AMCITs in Khartoum or Port Sudan as the U.S. government is no longer present in these locations to assist AMCITs.

Ceasefire. Both warring parties have agreed to a 7-day ceasefire that will end on May 11th. Representatives from each faction may meet in Saudi Arabia for peace talks.

Fighting. Air strikes are taking place in the Khartoum area. Heavy artillery and heavy weapons are being used as well. Intense clashes are taking place in the Darfur region in western Sudan.

Evacuations. The rate of departures of foreign nationals may be slowing. Most nations have gotten their citizens who wish to leave out of Sudan. Some air evacs are still taking place by nations and private volunteer groups. Most western ground evac elements (military, volunteer, and for-profit) have left the country. The United Nations is slowly building up capacity; but it seems slow.

United Kingdom. The UK has ceased evacuation flights; having conducted 30 evacuating more than 2,450 people. The final UK flight took place on the night of May 3rd. The UK helped evacuate more than 1,200 people from other nations, including the U.S., Ireland, Netherlands, Canada, Germany, and Australia. (GOV.UK, May 4, 2023)

Port Sudan Departures. Commercial and private ferry service is operating out of Port Sudan. You can track vessels on the AIS Ship Tracker.

Port Suakin Departures: Tickets are available for purchase for passage on the commercial ferry Aziz Express. Tickets must be purchased with cash - Sudanese pounds, USD, or Sauid riyal. This vessel is a passenger ship sailing under the flag of Saudi Arabia. Port Suakin is located along the coast of Sudan on the Red Sea south of Port Sudan. (Google Maps). According to VesselTracking.net the Aziz Express is currently located here in the Red Sea. Tickets for an adult is about 500 USD.

Border Crossings. Some neighboring countries are accepting foreign nationals. The wait times at the border entry points are sometimes very long with no shelter, food, or water.

White House Statement. President Biden's administration released a statement on the conflict in Sudan on May 4th. He is calling for a durable ceasefire. He says that "since the earliest moments of this conflict, the United States had facilitated the safe departure of thousands of people - Americans and others - by land, sea, and air . . ." (Editorial note: a little bit of damage control there)

Gap in U.S. Amphib Capability. The U.S. Navy has a problem with readiness and inventory. This was evident when it was called upon to support the non-combatant evacuation operation off the coast of Sudan. While it deployed ships to the Red Sea, they were not the right kind of ships. "Evacuating Sudan: An amphibious gap and missed opportunity", Defense News, May 3, 2023.

May 3 - 2023

Ceasefire. According to social media reports the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) and Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have agreed to a 7-day truce that begins on May 4th. Each party will name representatives to attend peace negotiations. The talks may take place in Saudi Arabia.

Fighting Continues. Even though both sides in the conflict have agreed to a ceasefire the battle goes on across the country. Air attacks and anti-aircraft fire are frequent in the Khartoum area. Lawlessness has engulfed the Darfur region in the west of the country.

Foreign National Evacs. According to the United Kingdom government the last UK evac flight will take place in Port Sudan on May 3rd. India continues to fly its citizens home from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

Port Sudan. Several countries are continuing to evacuate their citizens via ferry and vessel from Sudan's largest port on the Red Sea. Some countries have established temporary diplomatic missions in the city. Military transports have landed in Port Sudan to evacuate foreign nationals - this includes Turkey, UK, Iraq, Jordan, Russia, and South Korea. There is no news of the U.S. evacuating AMCITs via aircraft from Port Sudan.

Canadian HA Aid. In a news release the Government of Canada announced that it has allocated over $71 million in humanitarian assistance funding to the United Nations, Red Cross, and other NGO partners for Sudan, South Sudan, and the Central African Republic. The aid is for basic needs such as food, water, sanitation, and health services. "Canada provides humanitarian assistance funding for Sudan and neighbouring countries", GoC, May 3, 2023.

Video - Sudan Evac and Project Dynamo. Bryan Stern, Founder and CEO of Project Dynamo is interviewed on the Forum Daily on evacuations in Sudan. PD moved AMCITs from Khartoum to Port Sudan by bus. Then moved them to the Port Sudan to board a chartered aircraft. May 1, 2023, YouTube, 5 minutes. The PD evac effort was also described in National Review. (subscription)

Blinken Calls DJ FM. Secretary of State Blinken called the Foreign Minister of Djibouti to thank them for their assistance in the evacuation of the U.S. Embassy in Khartoum. The evacuation aircraft flew from Djibouti into Sudan and then carried the Embassy personnel back to Camp Lemonier in Djibouti. (DoS, May 3, 2023)

UN on Humanitarian Aid. The United Nations is urging both sides in the Sudan conflict to stop the fighting so people can get access to food, water, and medical treatment. Latest UN figures show that at least 528 have died during the fighting, with nearly 4,600 injured. Both numbers are likely higher. (UN, May 3, 2023).

Refugees and IDPs. The UN OCHA Sudan estimates that about 334,000 people have been internally displaced and over 100,000 have fled to neighboring countries.

Chaotic U.S. AMCIT Evac. "As fighting rages, the Biden administration is dealing with the crisis in a manner as haphazard as the overall policy". The administration bumbled the Afghan Evac bigtime; it did not do much better with Sudan. Over the past two years U.S. foreign policy has ignored the problems presented by Sudan, and State missed opportunities to help Sudan transition to a democracy. "A Chaotic Evacuation is Sympbolic of U.S. Failure in Sudan", The Washington Post, May 3, 2023 (subscription)

The Netherlands conducted evacuation operations in Sudan in April 2023.
(Photo by Netherlands Ministry of Defence)

May 2 - 2023

As of 020900RAPR23.

Ceasefire. The renewed 72-hour ceasefire is scheduled to end at midnight Sudan time on May 3. Negotiations may soon take place in Saudi Arabia

Fighting. Fighting is still taking place in Khartoum. Over 500 people have been killed and thousands injured or wounded. The clashes are expected to continue. "Heavy fighting in Khartoum continues unabated, 16 days after", Sudan Tribune, May 1, 2023.

U.S. Convoys. Buses carrying 700 evacuees have left Khartoum and traveled to Port Sudan. It is unknown how many of the 700 were U.S. citizens. The buses traveled in three separate convoys on 29 and 30 April and on 1 May. There are some reports that U.S. consular officers are in Port Sudan; this was confirmed by the U.S. Department of State on Monday.

Port Sudan - Air Travel. At Port Sudan AMCITs and other foreign nationals are boarding miliitary planes from foreign nations or chartered commercial aircraft. There are no reports of U.S. military aircraft landing or taking off from Port Sudan. Hungarian, UK, UAE, Russian,and Turkish military flights have landed and taken off from Port Suden. There have been at least two commercially chartered evacuation flights that have taken place. Up to this point the U.S. has not landed any military transport aircraft at either the military airbase that the UK operated or at the airport just south of Port Sudan.

Port Sudan - Sea Travel. Foreign nationals are boarding vessels for Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Some ships are naval vessels from a variety of nations and some travelers are leaving by Ferry. A high-speed U.S. Navy catamaran moved about 300 AMCIT evacuees from Port Sudan to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The transport arrived in Jeddah about 9 a.m. local time on Monday. (USNI News, May 1, 2023).

U.S. Navy Support. The Navy did not have an amphibious readiness group in the region to respond to the Sudan crisis. Instead, it sent two unique ships to the Red Sea off the coast of Port Sudan. "U.S. Navy Sends Nontraditional Ships to Support Sudan Evacuation", USNI News, May 1, 2023.

DoS Brief - Sudan Evac Efforts. On May 1, 2023 the Department of State held a press conference where the Sudan evacuation efforts by the U.S. government were discussed. The DoS spokesman was grilled by the reporters on the numbers of AMCITs requesting assistance and the numbers that have been evacuated. He provided unsatisfactory answers. Over 1,000 Americans have been evacuated by foreign militaries and volunteer evacuation groups. In addition, among the 700 evacuated by three U.S.-facilitated bus convoys are some AMCITs; bringing the number above 1,000. According to the spokesman, local embassy staff coordinated the bus convoys that took place on 29 April, 30 April, and 1 May. "Department Press Briefing", U.S. Department of State, 1 May, 2023.

UK Foreign Office. Around 2,197 people have been evacuated from Sudan on 26 UK flights. There may be more flights in the future out of Port Sudan. Most UK flights end up in Cyprus.

MSF in Sudan. Medicins Sans Frontieres (Doctors Without Borders) emergency teams have started to arrive in Sudan to launch emergency response activities, as well as run existing activities in various locations.

A Bus to Safety. A journey from Khartoum to Port Sudan is described in this article. "A ticket to anywhere: Stories of grief and relief on a bus out of Khartoum", The New Humanitarian, May 2, 2023.

DYNAMO Flight Port Sudan 30 April 2023
AMCITs boarding Project DYNAMO flight in Port Sudan bound
for Egypt on April 30, 2023. (photo courtesy DYNAMO)

May 1 - 2023

Project DYNAMO - Evac Flight. Social media reports that almost 100 American citizens were airlifted out on a plane coordinated by Project DYNAMO. The plane landed in Sudan, boarded the evacuees, and was reported to be 'wheels up' at 302200RAPR23. It's destination was Egypt. Thus far Project DYNAMO has conducted bus and plane evacs for AMCITs. The cost to the passengers was zero. The U.S. State Department was cooperative and helpful with the coordination needed for the private charter plane to enter Sudan airspace. Project DYNAMO is an international search, rescue, aid and assistance, 501(c)(3) non-profit organization based in the United States. It was founded and is led by U.S. military veterans. It has been active in the Afghan Evac and Ukraine Evac efforts as well.
https://www.projectdynamo.org/

Last UK Flight. The flights by the United Kingdom have ended. One more flight has been scheduled for Port Sudan; leaving at 1200 local on May 1. The Royal Navy Frigate (HMS Lancaster) is now in the Port Sudan vicinity; another warship - the RFA Cardigan Bay - is soon to arrive. The UK has evacuated over 2,100 people. (UK Gov, 30 Apr 2023)

Netherlands Evac. De Marine Spearhead Task Unit (MSTU) assisted in the evacuation of 250 people from Sudan. Koninklijke Marine, YouTube, May 1, 6 minutes.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wI4YqDfCFR8

Port Sudan. There are a number of charter vessels in Port Sudan that will take on passengers - however many of the people who wish to leave cannot afford the ticket price. The situation in Port Sudan is currently stable and the city is under the control of the SAF. Accomodations are limited due to the influx of foreign nationals seeking evacuation from Sudan. The airport (PZU) is not damaged and is open to military air but closed to commercial traffic. A number of nations have landed their military aircraft at the airport for the evacuation effort to include Turkey, Hungary, Iraq, Jordna, and South Korea.

United Nations. The UN is stepping up its support to Sudan. Flights will soon arrive to provide food and tents. A shipment of humanitarian aid is sitting in Port Sudan awaiting clearance by the authorities for distribution. (Sudan Tribune, April 30, 2023)

Humanitarian Situation. Hundreds have been killed and thousands wounded or injury in the conflict. Food, water, fuel, electricity, medical treatment, and other essential needs are in short supply. Internet and cell phone coverage is spotty. The World Food Program (WFP, May 1, 2023) is resuming operations - conducting food distribution to refugees and displaced people. Massive looting of the warehouses of humanitarian organizations has depleted most NGO supplies.

Ceasefire. Although the ceasefire has once again been extended, heavy fighting continues. Each of the warring factions is accusing the other of ceasefire infractions. Roadblocks and checkpoints are a constant feature across Sudan.

26th MEU Heading to CENTCOM AO. Elements of the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit based in Camp LeJeune are heading to the Middle East. The MEUs have a number of missions assigned; one of which is non-combatant evacuation operation (NEO). "26th Marine Expeditionary Unit Deploys an Element to CENTCOM", DVIDS, April 29, 2023. Read more in "Marines Update Evacuation Playbook", Defense One, April 28, 2023.

Hard Borders for Fleeing Civilians. Thousands of Sudanese are escaping the fighting by traveling to neighoring countries. But it is a perilous and exhausting journey. But the difficulties don't stop at the border. "Hard borders and little aid: How civilians are escaping Sudan's conflict",The New Humanitarian, May 1, 2023.

UK Repair of Sudan Airfield April 2023

UK Repair of Sudan Airfield in April 2023 by Airborne Sappers of the
23 Engineer Regiment. (photo courtesy of Defence HQ)

April 30 - Sunday

As of 301900RAPR23.

Ceasefire. The current ceasefire ends at midnight on April 30. However, fighting has been ongoing despite the ceasefire. The Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) are conducting airstrikes against Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in Khartuom and in other locations in Sudan.

Conflict Update. Neither side seems to be attaining the upper hand in the fighting; indicating a prolonged conflict.

Hunger. Prior to the current crisis, over 15 million people - 1/3 of the population were already acutely hungry. This number has increased dramatically due to the fighting and insecurity. (UN WFP). In addition to lack of food is the scarcity of water, fuel, medical supplies, and electricity.

Humanitarian Relief. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has just shipped 8 tons of emergency medical items to Port Sudan. This will provide crucial support to hospitals and to the Sudanese Red Crescent. The ICRC has a major logistics hub in Jordan and Jordanian authorities provided an aircraft for the delivery of the supplies. A second plane will soon arrive. (ICRC, 30 April 2023). UN humanitarian workers had moved from Khartoum to Port Sudan for safety but intend to move back to Khartoum as soon as the security situation improves. (UN IOM, April 27, 2023)

UK RAF Evac Mission Ended. Over 1,800 Brits have been evacuated from Sudan; many from the airport just north of Khartoum. However, operations at this airfield have ended as of 2200 Sudan time on 29 April. UK forces are in Port Sudan and are ready to continue the evacuation process. RAF Hercules and A400m aircraft had been flying from the Sudan airbase to Cyprus during the evacuation event. On 1 May the UK Government will exceptionally offer an evacuaiton flight to help British nationals to leave Port Sudan. The HMS Lancaster and a contingent of Royal Marines are in the Port Sudan vicinity. For more see "The RAF's evacuation mission in Sudan has ended", Forces.net, April 29, 2023.

Press Statement - State Department. The U.S. Department of State (Dos) finally caught on to the fact that AMCITs should be evacuated. Following the lead of other nations from around the world DoS decided to 'get proactive'. A U.S. government organized convoy carrying U.S. citizens arrived at Port Sudan on Saturday, April 29 on a dozen buses after a 24-hour journey. From there AMCITs (and selected others) are provided transport to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. (DoS, Apr 29, 2023). See also "U.S. evacuation convoy reaches Sudanese port city, State Department says", The Washington Post, April 29, 2023. (subscription)

Border Crossings. Long lines of buses are waiting at the two border locations at the Egyptian border. The border crossing points lack water, food, medical treatment, and sanitation facilities. Processing for visa at the border is a lenghty process. Conditions at the Ethtiopian border are likely the same. The border with Chad is reported to be closed although there are reports that the country has received many thousands of refugees.

Map of Khartoum. War Mapper has put out a new map of the Khartoum area (updated at 0400 UTC on 30 April 2023). The interactive map depicts the areas controlled by the RSF, the SAF, and those areas that are 'contested'.

Canada. The Government of Canada evacuation flights in Sudan have ended. Canadians wishing to depart Sudan by road could consider leaving via Port Sudan where commercial onward options may be available.
https://travel.gc.ca/destinations/sudan#security

Ireland. The Embassy of Ireland (Kenya) says that 209 citizens and dependents have been assisted in departing Sudan. The majority of those evacuated by air have been carried on flights operated by the UK into Cyrpus. The Emergency Civil Assistance Team (ECAT) mission had been in the country since Thursday, April 27. "Tanaiste provides update on Sudan consular response", DFA.ie, April 30, 2023.

China. In the last three days the Chinese Navy evacuated almost 1,000 Chinese citizens on two naval ships - going from Port Sudan to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

Money Transfers. There will be problems with sending money to Sudan. There are reports the central banking system is not working at this time. Social media has shown photos of banking institutions on fire in Khartoum.

April 29 - Saturday

As of Saturday, 290930RAPR23.

Humanitarian Situation. Internet and cell phone coverage is very spotty. Water, food, electricity, fuel, and medical services are severely limited.

Ceasefire. A renewed 72-hour ceasefire in Sudan is in place and is due to end at midnight Sudan time on 30 April. Violence may very well escalate at that time.

British Ceasing Ops at Wadi Seidna Air Base. The British will cease evacuation operations on 29 April. (Gov.UK) There will be no more flights from the airfield after this time. The last evacuees to be processed at the British Evacuation Centre at the airfield should arrive by 1200 (midday) Sudan time on Saturday (29 April). Wadi Saeedna airfield is located at GPS: 15° 48 10 N, 32° 29 32 E; what3words: refusals.atom.herds. Only British passport holders, U.S. citizens, and selected other nationals are being evacuated. Read more here.

The Royal Air Force, UK Commando Forces, and 16 Air Assault Brigade deployed to Cyprus and Sudan to support the evacuation of British citizens. The forces deployed within hours of the crisis. According to @FCDOGovUK (Twitter) over 1500 people have been evacuated from Sudan on 13 UK flights. 40 Commando and 42 Commando played a crucial role in the evacuation.

Avoid Wadi Seidna Air Base - State Department. A security alert issued by the U.S. Department of State recommends U.S. citizens avoid the Wadi Seidna Air Base starting on 29 April due to the threat of increased violence in and around the airfield.

U.S. Bus Evac. The U.S. State Department has finally come on board with the evacuation. According to news reports 300 AMCITs were evacuated from Sudan by bus enroute to Ethiopia. India as well as other nationalities have been using the bus route to Ethiopia for several days. A week of bad press about the State Department has probably been influential in getting them into the mode of evacuating AMCITs from Sudan. Shaping up to be another black eye for the Department of State and the Biden administration.

Khartoum Airport. The Khartoum International Airport is currently closed.

Port Sudan International Airport Info. By Logistics Cluster
https://dlca.logcluster.org/225-sudan-port-sudan-airport
As of April 28 the airport is only open for military traffic. Special permits are needed for civilian flights.

Port Sudan. The British have established an office at the Coral Hotel in Port Sudan. See the British travel advisory here. Ferries are operating from Port Sudan taking evacuees to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The route from Khartoum to Port Sudan may have degraded in terms of security. Ferries to Jeddah usually leave in the morning; the length of the voyage is longer than usual due to congestion in the Jeddah port.

From Sudan to Egypt. There are large numbers of people attempting to cross the border into Egypt. There are long lines and difficult conditions, limited access to food and water, no infrastructure, and no access to toilet facilities. The nearest town from both border crossings, Wadi Halfa, is 30 km away. Some individuals are waiting days to cross the border into Egypt; this after traveling for two or three days from Khartoum. After the long and dangerous journey to the border people are without any humanitarian assistance until they get across the border. "Sudanese face 'shocking delays, no aid at Egypt border", Aljazeera, April 28, 2023. One of the causes of the delay is the time to process visas.

Chad and Eritrea. Borders are closed according to the British foreign office.

Some Sudanese Passport Holders In Limbo. There are a number of Sudanese citizens that surrendered their passports to various embassies in Khartuom prior to the outbreak of hostilities to apply for a visa. Now they are now without their passports as the embassies are empty of staff. When Kabul fell to the Taliban many Afghans found out that the U.S. Embassy burned the Afghan passports in the embassy prior evacuating to the Kabul airport. It will be interesting if the U.S. Embassy in Khartoum has repeated this mistake. "We can't get to your passport", CNN.com, April 28, 2023.

U.S. ISR. The United States is providing intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance support to the allied evacuation effort. It has had unmanned drones and RC-135W aircraft orbiting around the Sudan area.

Wagner Group. Some news reports say that a Russian paramilitary group has been spotted in Port Sudan and in the vicinity of Khartoum. "Russia's Wagner group fighting in Sudan and patrolling evacuation port as UK citizens flee", I News, April 28, 2023.

April 28 - Friday

The evacaution of foreign nationals continue. Some are being airlifted out from a miltary airbase north of Khartoum, some move by plane or vessel from Port Sudan, and others are taking buses to Chad, Ethiopia, or Egypt. Thousands of foreign nationals and Sudanese refugees are gathering at the departure points; contributing to processing times and flight departures are sometimes delayed.

Airlift. The United Kingdom's 40 Commando is handling affairs at the aiport just north of Khartoum. Several flights a day are departing with foreign nationals including AMCITs. There are reports that one Turkish aircraft was hit with small arms fire as it approached the airfield; this might affect the pace of air ops at that location. The SAF report that the RSF fired on the C-130. (DUVAR, April 28, 2023)

Civilian Airlift? There are numerous reports that volunteer and for-profit organizations are coordinating for the landing of contract commercial aircraft to airlift out foreign nationals from the Wadi Seidna Air Base (HSWS) just 18 miles north of Khartoum or from Port Sudan. Thus far, it is unknown if any of these flights have taken place. It seems unlikely that civilian flights will be authorized.

Border Crossings. Some delays are experienced at the borders. Some as long as 24 hours.

Ceasefire. This appears to be still in effect although there are still clashes between the SAF and RSF. Read more in "Sudan truce buckles under pressure as evacuations continue", The New Arab, April 28, 2023.

Fighting. The Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) continues to conduct bombing attacks on the positions of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). This is certainly a cause for concern for the military transports trying to evacuate people from the Wadi Seidna Air Base. The Darfur region is seeing some heavy fighting.

Humanitarian Situation. Fuel, electricity, water, food, and medical services are in short supply. Most hospitals can no longer provide medical care and treatment. WHO is predicting a huge increase in disease that may cause thousands of deaths.

Refugees and IDPs. Thousands of Sudanese citizens have fled to neighboring countries. Many are internally displaced; seeking safety in areas of Sudan not affected by the violence. In addition, there are refugees from other countries - Syria, Myanmar, Afghanistan, etc. - who are now seeking safety from the conflict.

Ethiopia. Some 1,600 Turkish citizens were taken from Sudan to Ethiopia by bus. At the border they were taken to the Gonar airport in vehicles provided by the Turkish Embassy in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. From there they flew to Addis Ababa. (AA Turkey, April 25, 2023).

Cell Coverage. NPERF provides information of the network coverage of mobile operators.
https://www.nperf.com

April 27 - Thursday

Bureau of Consular Affairs Advisory. A new advisory has been issued on April 25, 2023, by the State Department that provides information for U.S. citizens who want to depart Khartoum. It has advice on departing the capital city, traveling to Sudan Port and taking the ferry to Jeddah, or crossing the land borders with Egypt and Ethiopia. It also suggests you complete the registration form and enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP).
https://sd.usembassy.gov/security-alert/

Port Sudan. State Department may send a 'fly away' consular team to Sudan to assist Americans fleeing the escalating war. They would likely be set up at Port Sudan on the Red Sea."A U.S. consular team may soon be on its way to Sudan", Politico, April 26, 2023. The travel on a ship or ferry to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia could be as long as 6 to 20 hours. The costs of moving by ship varies. There is a ferry service that is taken passengers to Jeddah and military naval ships from a few different countries are also taking on passengers. Although the U.S. Navy has three ships in the waters off Port Sudan there are no reports of them picking up U.S. nationals. Check out https://www.vesselfinder.com/

International Evacuation. France, Germany, Italy, UK, Spain, and other countries have evacuated their citizens from Sudan. Almost all of these nations have taken out U.S. citizens. "US claims Sudan too dangerous to evacuate Americans while rest of world safely removes their citizens", Fox News, April 27, 2023. Canada has two C-130 aircraft in the region. The Peoples Republic of China has deployed its navy to the region and has evacuated over 1,000 people. Sweden says that are done with evacuating their citizens. Over forty buses have been contracted to bring out Nigerians overland - going north to Egypt.

Diplomacy. The United Kingdom's ambassador to Sudan, Giles Lever, has relocated to neighboring Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Air Evac. The main focus of the air evac is an airport about 18 miles north of Khartoum called Wadi Seidna Air Base (HSWS). Currently believed to be controlled by the British Royal Marines.

Private Volunteer Groups Helping Out. Protecting American civilians abroad used to be a sacrosanct government mission. Now it's falling to private citizens and non-profits like Project Dynamo. "Why Aren't We Evacuating Americans From Sudan?", by Elliot Ackerman, The Atlantic, April 25, 2023.

Armed Clashes. Fighting continues between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Protection Force (RSF); especially in the vicinity of the Presidential Palace and the center of Khartoum. The Sudan government forces are conducting aircraft strikes against the RSF; while the RSF are using anti-aircraft weapons for defense. Many of the air sorties are being conducted in the Khartoum vicinity.

Ceasefire. The Nation Nations is working in conjunction with other countries to try and broker an extended ceasefire in Sudan. The current ceasefire is set to end on late Thursday, April 27. The Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) has some interest in the extension; the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have yet to comment. "Sudan's army agrees to extend truce for 72 hours - statement", Reuters, April 27, 2023.

Human Toll. Some estimates put the dead over 500 with over 4,000 injured or wounded. There are about 75,000 newly displaced according to IOM MENA. The World Health Organization is predicting increased deaths due to the spread of disease, lack of food and water, and limited essential services for civilians (electricity and fuel)./en/map/SD/-/-/signal/

U.S. Consular Officers Receive Evacuees in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

U.S. Consular Officers welcome AMCITs to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on April 26, 2033.
Photo by U.S. Consulate General in Jeddah.

April 26 - Wednesday

As of 260830RAPR23 the United Kingdom has evacuated 301 from Sudan. Four flight have left, another now boarding, and four more flights to depart today. The British will evacuate AMCITs with current U.S. passports from the Wadi Seidna airport. Twitter @joepike

Ceasefire. The nationwide ceasefire will expire on April 27 at midnight. The agreement has made it possible for the evacuation of many foreign nationals.

Fighting Continues. Despite the ceasefire, fighting between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SF) and Rapid Support Forces (RSF) is still ongoing and possibly escalating. About 560 people have been killed by Wednesday night. The violence has had a drastic effect on health care and services - many medical clinics and hospitals are closed. There is a lack of electricity, fuel, food, and water. An OCHA report provides more details.

Violence. Widespread crime and insecurity is found almost everywhere in Sudan. Looting, car jackings, and gangs roaming the streets are a common occurrence.

Refugees. Foreign nationals and refugees are leaving the country, going the Central African Republic, Chad, Egypt, Ethiopia, and South Sudan. Many Sudanese have been internally displaced - leaving one part of Sudan for a safer region of the country. The United Nations expect to see over 270,000 refugees arrive in neighboring countries.

AMCIT Killed in Sudan. White House announced on Wednesday morning (Apr 26) that a second American has died in Sudan.(Fox News, Apr 26, 2023). The U.S. Consulate General in Jeddah asks those AMCITs in Sudan to follow @TravelGov Twitter for the latest guidance.

Germany has announced it finished evacuating its nationals on April 25 - about 700 people. The British have flown out over 300, possibly more.They have about 4,000 nationals in the country. India has conducted at least four IAF C-130J flights from Sudan to Jeddah.

Egypt Border Crossing. Hundreds of buses are attempting to travel north into Egypt. U.S. citizens traveling to Egypt should apply online ahead of time for an Egypt e-visa.

April 25 - Tuesday

Nationwide Ceasefire. The Department of State has announced that the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have agreed to implement a nationwide ceasefire starting at midnight on April 24, to last for 24 to 72 hours. DoS, April 24, 2023.
https://www.state.gov/announcement-of-nationwide-ceasefire-in-sudan/

Security Situation.

Crisis24, a GARDAWORLD Company, has been issuing 24 hour security and safety updates on the Sudan crisis. They predict that further deadly clashes between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) will remain likely over the coming days across Sudan despite the 72-hour ceasefire enacted on April 25, 2023.

Inherent Risks, another security firm, also provides 24 hour updates as well on their LinkedIn page. They observed that the SAF is conducting heavy bombing campaigns against RSF targets, skirmishes are taking place within the vicinity of Khartoum, Wagner Group is suspected to be active in Sudan, robberies and carjackings are common, and foreign nations have troops on the ground to assist with evacuations of their citizens.

U.S. Department of State Guidance.

U.S. Department of State Travel Advisory for 24 April 2023:
"Situation in Sudan: Information for U.S. Citizens in Sudan"
https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/traveladvisories/ea/situation-in-sudan-2023.html

U.S. Citizens who would like to be informed of options to leave Sudan as security conditions permit should complete this form.
https://cacms.state.gov/s/crisis-intake

"Helping From Afar". While many nations have 'boots on the ground' (BOG) in Sudan to assist their citizens in evacuating Sudan, the U.S. has a different approach. At least, if there are U.S. folks (SOF or the occasional CIA operative) on the ground, it isn't public knowledge. Jake Sullivan, the President's National Security Advisor, told the press on Monday that the United States was now 'remotely assisting Americans trying to flee the country by road'. This includes helping Americans link up with convoys of foreigners now attempting to make it through fighting toward safety on Sudan's eastern border. The U.S. is also using USR (drones) to provide information on safety threats along the road from Khartoum to Port Sudan, the countries main seaport. According to Sullivan, the U.S. also helped broker a 72-hour long ceasefire between the warring factions.

UN Relocation. The United Nations has temporarily relocated its internationally-recruited personnel from Khartoum to Port Sudan; and some staff on to neighboring countries. However, the head of UNITAMS remains in Khartoum. "UN evacuates staff from Sudan, but Perthes remains in Khartoum", Sudan Tribune, April 25, 2023.

Libya Border Closed. On Monday, the Libyan National Army decided to block the southern border with Sudan. "Libyan Army Closes Border with Sudan", Libya Review, April 24, 2023.

Road Trip to Egypt. A person who just made the trip from Khartoum to Egypt has posted details of her bus trip on Twitter. Here is another story about the Sudan to Egypt route by bus. "Fear and exhaustion: A family's flight from Sudan to Egypt", Reuters, April 24, 2023.

A Glimmer of Hope in Darfur? According to one news report civilian-led committees have brokered temporary cease-fires in much of Sudan's Darfur region. "As Sudan's capital burns, the Darfur region negotiates a fragile truce", The Washington Post, April 24, 2023. (subscription)

Efforts by Country

Japan has evacuated 45 nationals and their spouses from Sudan and temporarily closed their embassy.

Irish citizens, about 50, were evacuated from Khartoum to Djibouti with the support of France and Spain. There are likely about 150 more to be evacuated. Up to 12 Defence Forces personnel have deployed to the region; most likely Djibouti. Some news sources say they are members of the Emergency Civil Assistance Team (ECAT). (The Journal, April 24, 2023.) Some news reports say the 12 individuals were from the Irish Army Ranger Wing. Ireland lacks the airlift to conduct their own evacuation, so the ECAT will have to piggy-back with the French, Brits, or some other nations's evac effort. Another limiting factor is the incorrect intepretation to deploy troops - due to a "Triple Lock" policy; which limits the number of troops that can be deployed. See "Irish operation to rescue citizens 'built to fail' by Government inaction, opposition TD claims", The Journal, April 25, 2023.

Saudi Arabia is getting thanks from a number of different nations for the evacuation of their nationals. On Monday, a Saudi ship transporting 199 evacuees of different nationalities arrived in Saudi Arabia at the King Faisal Naval Base in Jeddah. As of Monday Saudi Arabia has evacuated about 356 people from 26 different nations. (Arab News, April 25, 2023).

Canada is modifying its immigration measures to support Sudanese residents in Canada. (Reuters, Apr 25, 2023).

Nigeria. There are a large number of Nigerian students who are still trapped in Khartoum. According to news reports buses have been requested to transport the students from Khartoum to Cairo. Some Nigerians may find their way to the Egyptian town of Luxor. "FG takes action on trapped Nigerian students in Sudan", Politics Nigeria, April 25, 2023.

UK Troops in Port Sudan? A team of British troops were understood to have been flown into Port Sudan to scope out the options for any rescue mission of civilians. Two ships may be providing some support to an evacuation effort - the RFA Cardigan Bay and HMS Lancaster. At least 2,000 to 4,000 UK nationals remain in Sudan. There are reports that the UK is ready to begin a large-scale evacuation. (Reuters, Apr 25, 2023). The effort is supported by RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus; a permanent UK mlitary base with Airbus A400Ms and C-130Js. This past weekend UK diplomats and their families were were flown in miltary aircraft from the Wadi Seidna air base in Sudan. (Evening Standard, Apr 25, 2023) See also "Sudan: How do countries evacuate people from a war zone?", BBC News, April 24, 2023.

UK Evac. The UK government has posted instructions to its citizens on how to depart Sudan. Flights are leaving from Wadi Saeedna Airfield as of 25 April. They will only evacuate British passport holders and immediate family members. For more information on how to register your presence and be evacuated click this link UK Evac from Sudan.

April 24 - Monday

Fighting Continues. The battle between the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) and Rapid Support Forces(RAF) continues in Khartoum and elsewhere in Sudan. Gun battles, mortar fire, and artillery strikes are common. The SAF continues to mount air attacks on the RAF.

UK Evac. Britain's elite forces, including SAS and Royal Marines, rescued United Kingdom diplomats and their families from Sudan amid bloody conflict between the country's army and a powerful paramilitary group. British soldiers linked up with the UK personnel where they were 'sheltering' at the UK embassy and accompanied the group on an 18-mile journey to an airfield. They infiltrated during the night -flown in on an American aircraft. Then they got hold of several local vehicles and drove into Khartoum where they linked up with the diplomatic staff. Once linkup was effected, the party of soldiers and about 30 evacuees drove to an airfield located outside of the city and boarded two Royal Air Force transport planes that had arrived from Cyprus. In addition, it has been reported that UK troops may be or soon will be in Port Sudan. "Who Dares Saves", Daily Mail, April 23, 2023.

Port Sudan. The coastal city of Port Sudan on the Red Sea will soon become the epicenter of the evacuation effort and humanitarian response. Many countries have already evacuated their diplomatic staff and nationals by air and sea from Port Sudan. Many foreigners, UN workers, and NGO staffers have traveled the road from Khartoum to Port Sudan already and continue to do so. The United States has stated that it is helping to monitor the route via unmanned aerial systems. The Department of State is coordinating with other nations who have forces on the ground (British, French, etc.) to get U.S. citizens on convoys (AP News, Apr 24, 2023) heading to Port Sudan. The U.S. is also positioning naval assets in the Red Sea off of Port Sudan in case they are needed to evacuate Americans. The USS Lewis B. Puller and USS Truxtun (destroyer) are in the region.

Ships on the Way. Additional ships from the U.S. Navy's 5th Fleet and the British Royal Navy based in Bahrain are also reported to be enroute towards the Red Sea and the Coast of Sudan. This includes the RFA Cardigan Bay (Mobile-Landing Dock) and the HMS Lancaster (Type-23 Frigate). (OSINTdefender, @sentdefender) There are Saudi, French, and US Navy ships arriving at Port Sudan to provide support. See also "US ships, drones positioned to assist Americans fleeing Sudan", Military Times, April 24, 2023.

Evacuations and DoS. Learn what the U.S. Department of State Can and Can't Do in a Crisis. Travel.State.Gov.

SOF and Planes are Busy in Sudan. Over the past 24 hours numerous military planes have landed in several locations in Sudan carrying in special forces soldiers from various countries. The SF troops secure the landing zone and aid in the loading up of diplomatic staffs and foreign nationals. Port Sudan airport has been utilized by Qatar and Jordan. (Sudan Tribune, Apr 24, 2023). The U.S., Britain, Germany, and France have relied on Wadi Seidna military air base.

SITREP. Carjackings and robberies are frequent. Some are occurring at road checkpoints by the SAF and RSF. Cell phone and internet outages are frequent. Thousands of prisoners have escaped confinement. Hospitals are closed or operating lacking without electricity and supplies.

RSF Impeding Evac? According to the Sudan Armed Forces, the Rapid Support Forces are impeding the evacuation of Qatari and French nationals from Khartoum amidst ongoing clashes in the capital city.

Swedish Evac News - France a Big Help. Apparently France was instumental in the recovery of Swedish citizens and diplomatic staff from Khartoum. They were ferried out by the French Air Force. France has been a major participant in the evacuation of foreign nationals; assisting citizens of numerous European and African nations. Around 150 Swedes remain in the country. "French military helped Swedes out of Sudan", Svenska Dagbladet, April 24, 2023.

Wagner Group - Picking Sides. The Russian paramilitary organization has offered weapons to the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) - including surface-to-air missiles. "United States Says Wagner Has Quietly Picked Sides in Sudan", The New York Times, April 23, 2023. (subscription)

Dutch Evac. A number of civilians have been evacuated from Sudan by a RNLAF C-130H with Dutch Marines providing security. The evacuees are being ferried to Jordan where the Dutch have positioned two Hercules aircraft.

Switzerland. The Swiss have closed their embassy in Khartoum. Their staff and families have been evacuated and are safe - made possible by her allies; and especially the French.

Ireland. The Irish Embassy is urging its citizens to 'shelter in place' until further notice. It says Irish citizens should register on citizensregistration.dfa.ie.

Germany. The German Air Force flew evac flights after evacuating German citizens and diplomatic staff. They had a stopover in Amman, Jordan to rest and refuel before heading to Germany. Three A400M aircraft from the Bundeswehr were utilized. Half of the ~300 evacuees were German citizens; the remainder were from over 20 nations.

India. There are reports that over 500 Indians have reached Port Sudan with more on the way. Indian ships and aircraft are set to bring them home. See also a report by The Times of India.

Hungary Evac. Some Hungarians have been evacuated from Sudan while others still remain. "Hungarian Special Forces Aiding Sudan Evacuation", Hungary Today, April 24, 2023.

Greek Evacuation. "Greek aircraft and special forces relocate to Egypt for possible rescue mission in Sudan", Greek City Times.

USAID. Samantha Power, the head of the United States Agency for International Development, says that the U.S. is deploying a Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART) to the region to help deliver life-saving humanitarian assistance to the people in Sudan affected by the ongoing violence. (USAID, April 23, 2023)

UN Reassurance. The United Nations issued a press release stating its commitment to Sudan. It has temporarily relocated its internationally-recruited personnel from Khartoum to Port Sudan for onward evacuation to neighboring countries where they will work remotely. About 700 UN and international NGOs have reached Port Sudan by road. Other UN staff members have been evacuated to Chad. The UN has 877 international staff and 3,272 national staff working in Sudan. (UNITAMS, Apr 24, 2023).

April 23 - Sunday

U.S. Special Operations Forces evacuated approximately 100 U.S. Embassy staff from the Khartoum embassy on Saturday evening, around 8:00 pm (D.C. time). Read more in "U.S. Embassy Staff Evacuated from Khartoum", SOF News, April 22, 2023.

Sudan NEO - Arrival in Djibouti

Photo: Maj. Gen. Jami Shawley, the commanding general of Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa, left, greets John T. Godfrey, the U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Sudan, right, at Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti, April 23, 2023. At the direction of the President, the U.S. military conducted a successful operation to safely evacuate U.S. government personnel out of Sudan. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Joseph P. LeVeille)

War Powers Act. On April 23, 2023, President Biden sent a letter to Congress invoking the War Powers Act - stating that he has deployed military personne to conduct U.S. Embassy staff from Sudan and to protect United States personnel in the future if required. The White House, April 23, 2023.

United Kingdom. A statement by the UK Ministry of Defence stated that UK Armed Forces undertook a military operation alongside the United States, France and other allies. The British Embassy staff and their dependents were evacuated from Khartoum due to the escalating threats against diplomats. The operation involved more than 1,200 personnel from 16 Air Asssault Brigade, the Royal Marines and the RAF". It is believed the evacuees were flown from Africa to Cyprus. Aircraft used in the operation include a C-130J and A400M. See "British military aircraft assisting in Sudan evacuation", UK Defence Journal, April 23, 2023. Also - "Sudan: How elite team of British troops evacuated UK diplomats from warzone capital", Sky News, April 23, 2023. UK citizens are encouraged to register their presence in Sudan with the FCDO.

Other Nations. Several countries are conducting evacuation operations by land, air, and sea. Four Jordan military aircraft are enroute to Sudan to evacuate 260 members of the Jordanian community. (Twitter, @avsec_pro) The United Nations is currenty attempting to evacuate its staff from Sudan. Apparently a large convoy is traveling to Port Sudan from Khartoum with UN and NGO personnel. India has postioned two Indian Air Force C-130Js (Outlook India, Apr 23, 2023) in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The INS Sumedha has reached Port Sudan to undertake an evacuation of Indian nationals. A Spanish flight evacuated diplomats and nationals from Sudan on Sunday. The A400M transport landed at Wadi Seidna Air Base just north of the Sudanese capital of Khartoum and has landed in Djibouti. Spanish sources say that members of the Special Forces and Parachute Regiment utilized 3 A-400 transports and a A-330 commercial aircraft. France is reported to have evacuated about 100 people by plane from a military airport near the Sudan capital. The country is reported to be doing a second flight as well. One French citizen was shot. Six Canadian diplomats are reported to have been evacuated on the U.S. evacuation operation. Greece has sent three aircraft and some special forces personnel to Egypt for evacuation purposes. There are about 150 Greek nationals in Khartoum. (Greek Reporter, Apr 23, 2023). Egypt says that 436 of their citizens have been evacuated using land routes. Ireland is sending an Emergency Civil Assistance Team (ECAT) to Djibouti to assist with the processing of evacuated Irish citizens from Sudan. There are likely about 150 Irish nationals in Sudan. See "Irish government sending team to evacuate citizens from Sudan", The Irish News, April 23, 2023.

"Which countries are evacuating citizens from Sudan?", AP News, April 23, 2023.

Road Travel. Traveling on the roads is problematic. There are roadblocks, checkpoints, and constant violence along the roads. There is little access to fuel, water, food, and other essential items. Various factions, the RSF, SAF, and other groups, have set up roadblocks that are dangerous to pass through. Some convoys attempting to travel from Khartoum to Port Sudan have had to turn back. Travel time from Khartoum to Port Sudan is believed to be about twelve hours. Most checkpoints along this route were RSF.

Land Routes? Without foreign troops on the ground the ability to establish assembly areas in the major cities and to safely travel along roads to Port Sudan or other destinations is extremely limited. Some foreign nationals have made their way to Juba in South Sudan for evac via air transport.

Refugees and IDPs. The UNHCR estimates there are about 10,000 to 20,000 new refugee arrivals in Chad - located to the east of Sudan. Other refugees are fleeing to Egypt and South Sudan. There are thousands of internally displaced civilians fleeing the fighting; especially in Darfur.

Hotels. Those who are currently in hotels are running out of food and water. There is no electricity in most areas of Khartoum. Communications is difficult; cell phones won't charge, cell towers are not funcitioning, and internet service is non-existent.

Battles Continue. The SAF and RSF are clashing in the vicinity of the Khartoum airport and military installations. The SAF are using air strikes against the RSF while the RSF are employing anti-aircraft weapons. Areas of the capital city, Khartoum, remain heavily contested. Clashes are reported near the airport, Presidental Palace, and military installations.

Wagner Group in Sudan? There is speculation that a Russian paramilitary group has been using 'front companies to enrich itself with Sudan resources and to increase the tension and hostiliy between the two warring factions. "Wagner in Sudan: What have Russian mercenaries been up to?", BBC News, April 23, 2023.

Bashirs On the Loose. the former president of Sudan, Omar Hassan Ahmed Al Bashir, is now free from prison. His whereabouts is unknown after a RSF attack on the prison freed thousands of prisoners. "Omar al-Bashir's whereabouts unknown after RSF attack on Kober prison", Sudans Post, April 23, 2023.

Map of Sudan NEO staged from Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti.

April 22 - Saturday

U.S. Special Operations Forces evacuated just under 100 American Embassy staff from the Khartoum embassy on Saturday evening, around 8:00 pm (D.C. time). A small number of allied diplomats were also evacuated. Read more in "U.S. Embassy Staff Evacuated from Khartoum", SOF News, April 22, 2023.

Several social media and news agencies have reported that the evacuation of the U.S. Embassy in Khartoum, Sudan has taken place. U.S. Special Operations Forces evacuated approximately 70 U.S. Embassy personnel using a combination of rotary and fixed-wing aircraft. President Biden released a statement on the evacuation.

AC-130J Over Sudan 22 April 2023
AC-130J Ghostrider over Sudan 221956RAPR23

U.S. Air Activity on Saturday Evening over Sudan. There is a lot of air activity in the region at this time. Some AFSOC aircraft (Twitter Air & Sea Intel) in the air over Sudan as of 221930 EST. This includes an HC-130J, and two MC-130Js. There are reports of helicopters (Twitter AVSEC Pro) hovering over the US Embassy in Sudan (Twitter War Mapper) in the suburb of Soba south of Khartoum. Flighteradar24 depicted an AC-130J Ghostrider over Sudan at 221956RAPR23.The Rapid Support Forces tweeted that they coordinated with the U.S. forces (6 planes) for the purpose evacuation of U.S. diplomates and their families.

DoD NEO Preparations. The Department of Defense has been positioning military units in the region so that it can execute a non-combatant evacuation operation (NEO) if directed by President Biden. Most of the NEO-capable or support units are likely staging at Camp Lemonnier in Djibouti. Social media is reporting that there is a lot of military transport aircraft flowing into the Sudan region. The nearest amphibious ready group that could conduct a NEO is still in the Pacific; so other forces will likely be used

NEO Approval. One news source says, as of today, the Sudan army has okayed the concept of the evacuation of foreign diplomatic staff and nationals. The RSF has provided assurances as well that the Khartoum airport can accept foreign aircraft for an evacuation. (Reuters, Apr 22, 2023) As of today (Saturday) the airport remains closed. As of early Saturday morning the United States is not confirming that it has reached an agreement of commencing an evacuation with the warring factions. A NEO evacuation by of diplomatic staff and foreign nationals could begin as early as today (Saturday).

Ceasefire. A tentative ceasefire is in place for the Eid al-Fitr holiday that began on Friday. However, there have been numerous violations by each of the warring factions.

Evacuated Personnel. Some foreigners may have been evacuated via Port Sudan which is 400 miles (650 km) from Khartoum. The countries involved include Saudi Arabia and Jordan. Kuwaits foreign minister stated that some Kuwait citizens arrived safely in the city of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, having traveled by ship. Kuwait is indicating that all Kuwaiti personnel have been evacuated. Apparently it was the Royal Saudi Naval Forces that conducted the evacuation of 66 personnel.

Khartoum to Port Sudan Convoys. There are reports that convoys of foreigners are departing Khartoum for Port Sudan. This port on the Red Sea is the largest port in Sudan. Some diplomatic staffs are planning to drive by convoy to port Sudan; however, the U.S. Embassy has warned Americans that it could not assist convoys from Khartoum to Port Sudan and travel would be at their risk. The length of the road trip is estimated to be 400 miles (650 km).

U.S. Embassy Personnel. The United States has about 70 embassy staff members in Sudan. At the moment they are not all located in location. The Department of State has advised Americans not to travel to Sudan since August 2021. The U.S. Embassy Khartoum has issued another security alert (April 22) advising U.S. embassy staff to remain under a shelter in place.

Refugee Movements. Some movement of foreigners and refugees to other countries is taking place. From the Khartuom area (and areas south of the city) the flow of people is heading south; primarily to South Sudan. People from the Darfur region are heading west into Chad. People in the north head west to Libya or north to Egypt. There is a fowl of people to the Sudan coastal city of Port Sudan on the Red Sea.

Humanitarian Situation. There is a lack of food, water, electricity, and medical services throughout the country. Civilians are caught in the cross fire between the opposing forces resulting in numerous deaths and injuries of civilians. Humanitarian organizations have been forced to halt operations due to the deteriorating security situation.

A 'Sudan conflict' map is available for viewing by Warmapper.
https://sudan.liveuamap.com/

Flightradar 24: Sudan. https://www.flightradar24.com/14.06,32.95/5
Flightradar 24: Djibouti. https://www.flightradar24.com/airport/jib

April 21 - Friday

The fighting continues in Sudan. Attempts for a ceasefire during the Eid celebration may or may not pan out. Regional players - Egypt, Wagner Group, and others are involved in support of one or the other faction. There are reports that the Wagner Group is supplying the RSF with SAMs - something that could make a NEO problematic.

The United States continues to position military forces a Camp Lemonier to be ready to conduct a non-combatant evacuation operation (NEO) should the security situation on the ground and at Khartoum International Airport allow it. Some nations, the U.S., U.K., Israel, India, Japan, South Korea, France, and Germany, have moved military assets (ground and air) to locations in the region - including Djibouti, Egypt, and Ethiopia.

At one time, the Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force - Crisis Response Africa (SPMAGTF-CR-AF) would be a key player in a NEO in Africa. However, this unit has likely been disbanded or is just a staff and command element that would have to be flushed out. Another unit that could be useful in a NeO would be an Amphibiouis Ready Group (ARG) composed of 3 amphibious ships (LPD, LHA or LHD, and LSD) with a battalion landing team augmented with specialty units. At the moment there are two ARGs at sea; both are probably in the Pacific. SOCAFRICA has a number of units that could rapidly deploy to the region as well; many of them experienced with NEO operations. In addition, the 'ready' brigade of the 82nd Airborne Division could also have an involvement in the NEO.

Read more in "Crisis in Sudan", SOF News, April 21, 2023.

April 20 - Thursday

The U.S. Africa Command is monitoring the situation in Sudan and is conducting prudent planning for various contingencies. AFRICOM and DoD are deploying additional capabilities in the region for contingency purposes related to securing and potentially facilitating the departure of U.S. Embassy personnel from Sudan, if required. It is very likely that the U.S. miltiary will deploy forces to Camp LeMonier in Djibouti for a NEO. At one time, this mission would have gone to the SPMAGTF-CR-AF; however, the unit may no longer exist. In the past 24 hours at least nine USAF C-17A transports ahve been routed to or have since departed Djibouti in the past 24 hours.

Some social media reports indicate that most of the hospitals are closed in Khartoum. The Sudanese-American Physicians Association has set up a medical hotline for Sudan for those requiring non-emergent care.

April 20, 2023, "Department of Defense Deploys Capabilities in Support of U.S. Embassy Personnel in Sudan", DoD News Release.
April 20, 2023, "U.S. positioning troops ahead of possible Sudan embassy evacuation", Politico.
April 20, 2023, "Sudan embassy says 'too late' for evac of US citizens from Khartoum; DoD prepping options", Hot Air. Although this conflict began almost a week ago, it appears DoS has been caught flatfooted once again.
April 20, 2023, "US military prepares for possible evacuation of embassy in Sudan", by Jeff Schogol, Task & Purpose.
April 20, 2023, "UN chief appeals for 3-day Eid ceasefire", Aljazeera. The United Nations is calling for a ceasefire to allow trapped civilians to escape the violence and access food and medical treatment.
April 20, 2023, "Evacuating Americans Trapped in Sudan", Online Event, Hudson Institute. 3:00 pm to 4:00 pm.
April 20, 2023, "How Does the Conflict in Sudan Affect Russia and the Wagner Group?", by Catrina Doxee, Center for Strategic & International Studies (CSIS).
April 20, 2023, "Egyptians Evacuated from Sudan, Raising Hopes More Foreigners Can Leave", Voice of America.
April 20, 2023, "Secretary Blinken's Diplomacy to Arrange an Eid al-Fitr Ceasefire in Sudan", U.S. Department of State.

April 19 - Wednesday

Conflict. Two warring factions are engaged in conflict over who will control Sudan and lead the government once it transitions to civilian rule. The country is experiencing violence in the capital city as well as in the other areas of Sudan.

NEO. In mid-April, 2023, the United States began preparing for a possible non-combatant evacuation operation (NE) in Sudan. As of mid-April U.S. Embassy personnel were sheltering in place. There are likely about 16,000 to 19,000 American citizens in Sudan; many of them dual-citizens. If a NEO is conducted, it will likely be staged from Camp Lemonnier in Djibouti.

Sudan Task Force. The U.S. Department of State has established a Sudan Military Conflict Task Force to oversee the Department's planning, management, and logistics related to events in Sudan. "US State Department Sets Up Special Task Force for Crisis in Sudan", Voice of America, April 19, 2023.

View from Darfur. The international media are focusing on Kahrtoum, but rights violations are also happening in other parts of Sudan. "Sudan unrest: The view fro Darfur", by Philip Keinfeld, The New Humanitarian, April 19, 2023.

April 18 - Tuesday

A ceasefire has not been effective in quelling violence in Sudan. The fighting in the capital city is continuing; with control of the airport and defense bases being fought over.

April 18, 2023, "Shooting Continues in Sudan After Declared Cease-Fire", Voice of America.
April 18, 2023, "Secretary Antony J. Blinken at a Press Availability", Department of State.

April 17 - Monday

Secretary of State Antony Blinken placed phone calls with the leaders of the two warring factions. He underscored the urgency of reaching a ceasefire to permit the delivery of humanitarian assistance, the reunification of Sudanese families, and the ability for the international community in Khartoum to make sure its presence is secure. (DoS, Apr 17, 2023).

April 16 - Sunday

April 16, 2023, "Sudan's Violent Power Struggle: A Situational Assessment", by Alec Smith, Grey Dynamics.

April 15 - Saturday

Fighting has erupted between the Sudanese Army and a paramilitary group. Sudan has been ruled by two generals who took power two years ago. They now command rival forces fighting for control of the country. The U.S. Embassy Khartoum, Department of State, and AFRICOM should start planning for a NEO now; if they haven't already.

Antony Blinken, Secretary of State, issued a statement saying that he has consulted with regional powers about the strife in Sudan. He stressed the need for negotiations between the two warring parties. "Update on the Situation in Sudan", U.S. Department of State, April 15, 2023.

Fighting began around 9:00 am local time on April 15th. The two rival groups have have endurred a tenous relationship for years. With the approach of a return to civilian rule - and subsequent positioning for power within that framework the tension broke out into open hostility and fighting.

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NEO References

"Noncombatant Evacuation Operation (NEO). An operation whereby noncombatant evacuees are evacuated from a threatened area abroad, which includes areas facing actual or potential danger from natural or manmade disaster, civil unrest, imminent or actual terrorist activities, hostilities, and similar circumstances, that is carried out with the assistance of the Department of Defense" (JP-3-68, 2015).

Joint Publication 3-68, Noncombatant Evacuation Operations, 18 November 2015. Validated on 14 November 2017, Department of Defense.
https://www.jcs.mil/Portals/36/Documents/Doctrine/pubs/jp3_68.pdf

NEO Online Course, based on JP 3-68, Noncombatant Evacuation Operations, 18 November 2015.
hhtthttps://www.jcs.mil/Doctrine/DOCNET/JP-3-68-Noncombatant-Evacuation-Operations/

Alcala, Ronald, "Afghanistan and Noncombatant Evacuation Operations", by Ronald Alcala, Lieber Institute at West Point, August 5, 2021.

USMC, Amphibious Ready Group and Marine Expeditionary Unit Overview, U.S. Marine Corps, PDF, 36 pages. Page 27 describes a NEO conducted by an ARG and MEU.
https://www.marines.mil/portals/1/Amphibious Ready Group And Marine Expeditionary Unit Overview.pdf

NCSU, "Modeling and transportation planning for US noncombatant evacuation operations in South Korea", Journal of Defense Analytics and Logistics, Emerald Insight, November 2019, PDF, 29 pages.
https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/JDAL-05-2019-0010/full/pdf

Kabul NEO, Afghanistan War News
https://afghanwarnews.info/taliban-victory-2021/kabul-neo.htm

Joint Doctrine Publication 3-51, Non-combatant Evacuation Operations, Ministry of Defence, Third edition, March 2021, PDF, 92 pages. Click link here.

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DoD Assets with NEO Capability in Sudan Region

JSOC. The Joint Special Operations Command has the U.S. Navy's SEAL Team 6 and U.S. Army's Delta Force that is NEO capable.

ARG. The Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) is a Marine Corps task force that is NEO capable. During the Sudan embassy evacuation, the nearest ARG afloat was in the Pacific region. An Amphibiouis Ready Group (ARG) is usually composed of 3 amphibious ships (LPD, LHA or LHD, and LSD) with a battalion landing team augmented with specialty units. At the time of the NEO there are two ARGs at sea; both probably in the Pacific.

EARF. Located at Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti, the East Africa Response Force is poised to conduct a number of contingency operations, including a NEO.

82nd IRF. The 82nd Airborne Division based at Fort Bragg has a 'ready brigade' that would be the first on the ground in a large scale NEO attempt. This Immediate Response Force (Task & Purpose, Jan 27, 2022) It has a battalion that is constantly on standby mode; in times past the battalion would be staged a 'green ramp' at Pope Air Force Base adjacent to Fort Bragg. During April 2023 the designated IRF was the 1st Brigade Combat Team. This IRF designation is changed every six months. The BCT always designates one of its battalions and one of its companies as 'IRF 1'. The standard is to have a company ready to deploy in 18 hours.

3rd SFG(A) CIF/CRF/HTD. Sometimes a NEO would fall to one of the U.S. Army's Special Forces Groups. For instance, the NEO for Liberia in 1996 was conducted by a 10th SFG(A) company based in Germany. Operation Assured Reponse was supported by 160th SOAR. It is likely that the CIF nomenclature is outdated; but surely each group has a SF company that is 'CIF capable'. For more on this topic see "Exclusive: Army Special Forces command disbands elite units", SOFREP, March 4, 2020 and "The Army is Training Specialized Companies of Green Berets to Crack Hard Targets", The War Zone, May 10, 2021. So, the Commander's In-extremis Force (CIF) or Crisis Response Forces (CRF) companies were replaced with Hard Target Defeat (HTD) companies. See also the bottom of page 8 for a description of the HTD companies in A Vision for 2021 and Beyond, United States Army Special Forces Command, August 2021, PDF, 20 pages.

SOCAFRICA. SOCAFRICA has a number of units that could rapidly deploy to the region as well; many of them experienced with NEO operations. This includes the 1st Battalion, 10th Special Forces Group at Stuttgart, Germany. There is also a forward deployed U.S. Navy SEAL unit in Germany as well under SOCAFRICA.

SPMAGTF-CR-AF. At one time, the Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force - Crisis Response Africa (SOF News) would be a key player in a NEO in Africa. However, this unit has likely been disbanded or is just a staff and command element that would have to be flushed out.

Additional Information

Emergency Contact Information for U.S. Citizens in Sudan

U.S. Embassy Khartoum: ACSKhartoum@state.gov
State Dept. Consular Affairs: +1-888-507-4747 or +1-202-501-444

News Sources on Sudan Conflict

Humanitarian Protection in Sudan and Diaspora Response - Shabaka
https://shabaka.org/humanitarian-protection-in-sudan-and-diaspora-response/

Evac Efforts by Country

Ireland. Operation Piccolo was a rescue mission to evacuate Irish citizens from Sudan as hostilities broke out between warring factions in April 2023. An Emergency Civil Assistance Team (ECAT) was formed up that would remove more than 250 Irish people from Sudan. Some members of the ECAT were from the Army Ranger Wing; a SOF organization that also assisted in the Kabul non-combatant evacuation operation of August 2021. Read more on this topic in "Inside the military and diplomatic mission to evacuate Irish citizens from Sudan", The Journal, May 28, 2023.

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