For the last week or so, the African country of Sudan has been torn by civil war. The combatants are the regular Sudanese military commanded by a general who styles himself president of Sudan. They are opposed by a semi-official militia called the Rapid Support Forces.
The previous Sudanese president was overthrown by the general supported by the RSF. So once he took power the new president had to recognize the RSF as an official reserve force. And the army general and the RSF boss have been political rivals ever since.
A week or so ago that erupted into open warfare. The RSF control a couple of provinces and siezed the Khartoum international airport, the presidential palace and a number of other important sites in the capital. The army controls most provinces and still controls much of the capital. Basically the situation is very confused and it isn't clear who controls what.
So all the locals are staying indoors and keeping their heads down, as fighting erupts in the streets. This includes 16,000-19,000 US citizens (most of them US-Sudan dual citizens), 250 French, 150 Germans, 60 Japanese, and several dozen South Koreans and British. There are also many Chinese, Saudis and others from places in the middle east like the United Arab Emirates.
The Chinese and Saudis are both conducting a sea-borne evacuation from Port Sudan in the Red Sea, apparently spearheaded by the Saudi Arabian navy. Chinese ships are involved too. The difficulty with this is transporting evacuees by convoy hundreds of miles from the capital to the port. Americans in Sudan are being advised by the US embassy that neither side in the civil war has offered security guarantees for the convoys and US nationals are being advised not to join them and instead to shelter in place.
Well, it looks like a major international intervention force is gathering in Djibouti. Some 15 USAF C-17 transports have departed from US Army bases headed for Djibouti in the last few days with some of them carrying what appear to be Special Operations forces. Combined with other US troops in the area, it looks like a force of perhaps a thousand US soldiers is gathering. Approximately 100 British soldiers have flown out, along with some 300 Japanese soldiers. Additional aircraft from Germany, Belgium, Sweden and South Korea have taken off for Djibouti.
Expect military action in the next few days. The general/president in command of the Sudanese army says that he has been informed that an evacuation of foreigners will soon begin from the international airport, which is probably fine with him since it is currently held by the RSF.
The international force will probably take the Khartoum airport from the RSF, which might involve an airborne assault and some fighting since the airport is the RSF's strongpoint in the capital that they probably don't want to lose. And then the operation might escort foreign nationals there to be flown out.
US military flights to Djibouti in the last few days
Saudi warship involved in their evacuation effort.
The previous Sudanese president was overthrown by the general supported by the RSF. So once he took power the new president had to recognize the RSF as an official reserve force. And the army general and the RSF boss have been political rivals ever since.
A week or so ago that erupted into open warfare. The RSF control a couple of provinces and siezed the Khartoum international airport, the presidential palace and a number of other important sites in the capital. The army controls most provinces and still controls much of the capital. Basically the situation is very confused and it isn't clear who controls what.
So all the locals are staying indoors and keeping their heads down, as fighting erupts in the streets. This includes 16,000-19,000 US citizens (most of them US-Sudan dual citizens), 250 French, 150 Germans, 60 Japanese, and several dozen South Koreans and British. There are also many Chinese, Saudis and others from places in the middle east like the United Arab Emirates.
The Chinese and Saudis are both conducting a sea-borne evacuation from Port Sudan in the Red Sea, apparently spearheaded by the Saudi Arabian navy. Chinese ships are involved too. The difficulty with this is transporting evacuees by convoy hundreds of miles from the capital to the port. Americans in Sudan are being advised by the US embassy that neither side in the civil war has offered security guarantees for the convoys and US nationals are being advised not to join them and instead to shelter in place.
Well, it looks like a major international intervention force is gathering in Djibouti. Some 15 USAF C-17 transports have departed from US Army bases headed for Djibouti in the last few days with some of them carrying what appear to be Special Operations forces. Combined with other US troops in the area, it looks like a force of perhaps a thousand US soldiers is gathering. Approximately 100 British soldiers have flown out, along with some 300 Japanese soldiers. Additional aircraft from Germany, Belgium, Sweden and South Korea have taken off for Djibouti.
Expect military action in the next few days. The general/president in command of the Sudanese army says that he has been informed that an evacuation of foreigners will soon begin from the international airport, which is probably fine with him since it is currently held by the RSF.
The international force will probably take the Khartoum airport from the RSF, which might involve an airborne assault and some fighting since the airport is the RSF's strongpoint in the capital that they probably don't want to lose. And then the operation might escort foreign nationals there to be flown out.
US military flights to Djibouti in the last few days
Saudi warship involved in their evacuation effort.