The US is preparing to send a large number of additional troops to its base in Djibouti in case of an eventual evacuation from Sudan, US officials said on Thursday.
“The US Africa Command is monitoring the situation in Sudan and conducting prudent planning for various contingencies,” said Lt. Col. Phil Ventura, a Defense Department spokesman.
“As part of this, we are deploying additional capabilities nearby in the region for contingency purposes related to securing and potentially facilitating the departure of US Embassy personnel from Sudan, if circumstances require it,” said Ventura.
Wendy Sherman, the deputy secretary of State, privately told lawmakers Wednesday that troops would be moving to Djibouti, home to Camp Lemmonier, to provide the administration an option to launch an evacuation operation, according to one of the people familiar with the situation.
She made clear that they are not about to evacuate American citizens.
Meanwhile, Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Molly Phee said Wednesday the situation on the ground in Sudan remained too volatile to get diplomatic staff from the US Embassy in Khartoum out of the country.
She said that the State Department would do a drawdown if they could, but with ongoing fighting and the airport closed and partially damaged, it was not currently an option.
There are roughly 70 American staffers at the Khartoum embassy, according to congressional aides. They have no options to leave Sudan on their own without immense risk to their safety.
Since fierce hostilities between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) paramilitary group have erupted last weekend, the US has been contemplating the evacuation of government employees and has been transporting them from their homes to a secure, centralized location to prepare for such an eventuality.
Many roads were cut off in the capital, Khartoum, where seven million people are held hostage by the fighting. The violent clashes in Sudan also shut down the Khartoum Airport and damaged the aircraft.
There is concern in the US administration as the American embassy staff are currently sheltering at the US compound about eight miles from the international airport.
