White House says second U.S. citizen has died in Sudan

The White House said Wednesday a second American citizen has died amid the fighting in Sudan between rival generals.

The administration did not release details about the person’s identity. The State Department last week confirmed the death of another American and said officials were in touch with the family.

“We can confirm the death of a second American citizen yesterday and extend our deepest condolences to the family,” White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters Wednesday.

Hopes for a brighter future in war-torn Sudan dissolved this month when fighting broke out between forces controlled by Gen. Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, who leads the Sudanese Armed Forces, and Gen. Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, who leads the Rapid Support Forces paramilitary group.

The violence devastated civilians, who are fleeing the capital of Khartoum in droves, and hospitals haven’t been spared from the violence. The fighting forced the U.S. to evacuate personnel from its embassy in Khartoum.

Mr. Kirby said the U.S. is facilitating the departure of “a relatively small number” of Americans who have said they would like to leave, as lawmakers on Capitol Hill warn of a repeat of the chaotic withdrawal of Americans from Afghanistan in 2021.

The administration continues to engage in diplomatic talks with Sudan and plans to get the embassy back up and running, he said.

Mr. Kirby also said the “levels of violence generally appear to have gone significantly down” after a recent cease-fire.

“We urge both military factions to fully uphold this cease-fire, and to further extend it,” Mr. Kirby said. “We’ve said this many many times, but the violence is simply unconscionable, and it must stop.”

He said U.S. officials warned the Sudanese government and armed forces that “they are responsible for ensuring the protection of civilians and non-combatants, including people from third countries.”