Thousands of Americans Trapped in Sudan as Conflict Escalates and US Government Struggles to Evacuate Citizens

Amid the ongoing violence in Sudan, thousands of foreign nationals, including Americans, remain trapped in the east African nation as their governments scramble to organize evacuation routes. The United Nations World Health Organization has reported that at least 459 people have been killed in the conflict, though the actual number of dead is believed to be significantly higher.

The violence began on April 15th, when two of Sudan’s generals turned on each other, leading to major cities becoming war zones. Civilians have been desperately trying to escape the sporadic fighting in the capital, Khartoum, despite a new three-day truce. Reports of shelling and gunfire in Khartoum have been reported on Tuesday, but a new 72-hour ceasefire between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the RSF paramilitary group appears to be holding.

One of the thousands of Americans trapped in the conflict is a travel writer from Massachusetts. She is among the many who are struggling to find a way out of the country as the violence continues to escalate.

The United States government has been working to evacuate diplomats in the past few days, leaving many of the 16,000 American citizens in the country before the violence broke out to fend for themselves. The US State Department has urged all US citizens to leave Sudan as soon as possible, as the conflict threatens to escalate into a full-scale civil war.

The US Embassy in Khartoum has set up a hotline for Americans in need of assistance and has urged those in the country to stay in contact with their families and friends. The US government is also working with the United Nations and other international organizations to provide assistance to those in need.