The Pentagon is bulking up forces at a base in East Africa in case they are needed to evacuate the U.S. Embassy in Sudan, following days of intense fighting between warring factions vying for power in the country.
On Thursday, Defense Department officials said they were monitoring the deteriorating situation in Sudan’s capital of Khartoum, which threatened the security of U.S. diplomats and others. The fighting is between the army-dominated Sudanese government and a paramilitary group led by a rival general.
The troops will be positioned at the Pentagon’s Camp Lemonnier in Djibouti, located on the Horn of Africa, U.S. defense officials told reporters. NBC News reported that one possible response force would be a combination of Marine air power and Army ground units.
“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,” Lt. Col. Phil Ventura, a Pentagon spokesman, said Thursday in a statement. “As a matter of policy and security, we do not speculate on potential future operations.”
With the fighting raging on for nearly a week in the capital and other cities, diplomats at the U.S. Embassy in Khartoum are calling on both parties to end hostilities and return to negotiations. Officials and private groups say that more than 330 combatants and civilians have already been killed in the clashes, with thousands more wounded and access to hospitals and other medical services severely disrupted.
“Sudan’s military leaders must engage in dialogue without delay. Their actions across Sudan have placed countless people at risk and set back the Sudanese people’s rightful calls for a peaceful democratic transition,” the U.S. Embassy said in a statement.
U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in New York appealed to both sides to agree to a three-day cease-fire so civilians trapped in the crossfire could seek medical treatment, food, and other supplies.
The cease-fire would coincide with the Eid al-Fitr celebrations in Sudan marking the end of Ramadan. A cessation of hostilities between the warring parties in Sudan would be closely followed by a “serious dialogue” allowing for a successful transition to a civilian government, Mr. Guterres said Thursday.
“Fighting in urban areas is particularly dangerous for civilians, especially children, who have repeatedly been forced to shelter in schools and evacuate from hospitals under fire. This is completely outrageous,” he told reporters at the UN headquarters in New York.
Much of the fighting has occurred in and around Khartoum. The U.S. Embassy remains under a shelter-in-place order until further notice and is unable to provide emergency consular services.
“Due to the uncertain security situation in Khartoum and closure of the airport, it is not currently safe to undertake a U.S. government-coordinated evacuation of private U.S. citizens,” the embassy said.
The military-dominated government of army chief Gen. Abdel Fattah Burhan on Thursday ruled out new negotiations with the powerful paramilitary force headed by rival Gen. Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo, the Associated Press reported, demanding the complete surrender of the rebel force. A tenuous 24-hour cease-fire that began the previous day ran out Thursday evening with no word of extension.
The demise of the truce, the second attempt this week, underscored the failure of the United States, U.N., European Union and regional powers to push Sudan’s top generals to halt their campaigns and seek a negotiated settlement, the AP reported.
Humanitarian operations in Sudan have come to a standstill as a result of the fighting. Warehouses and vehicles used by private aid groups have been attacked and seized. Mr. Guterres said he is concerned about UN personnel in Sudan who are trapped in their homes.
“I am deeply concerned about the terrible tolls on civilians, the appalling humanitarian situation, and the horrifying prospect of further escalation,” he said.
Camp Lemonnier is the only permanent U.S. military base on the African continent. It’s the home of the Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa of the U.S. Africa Command and is situated next to Djibouti-Ambouli International Airport in Djibouti City. U.S. military units regularly train at Camp Lemonnier, a former French Foreign Legion base.
— This article was based in part on wire service reports.
• Mike Glenn can be reached at mglenn@washingtontimes.com.
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