A top diplomat in Washington confirmed on Tuesday that a US Embassy convoy was attacked in Sudan and identified the incident as “indiscriminate military operations.” The country’s armed forces have been combating a powerful rival with heavy weapons in urban areas for four consecutive days.
Preliminary reports about the attack on the convoy seem to suggest that it may have been the Rapid Support Forces, a paramilitary group fighting against Sudan’s military, according to US Secretary of State Antony Blinken. He confirmed that everyone in the convoy was unharmed.
ABC 7 Chicago reported that more than 185 people have been killed and more than 1,800 have been wounded in the conflict over control of Africa’s third-largest country. The figures reportedly come from the UN, but they have not yet broken down the deaths and injuries by combatants and civilians.
Satellite images captured by Maxar Technologies on Monday appear to show the extreme damage across Khartoum. There were also tanks located at a bridge over the White Nile River and other locations in the capital.
Top diplomats have urged the two rival generals, armed forces chief Gen. Abdel-Fattah Burhan and RSF leader Gen. Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo, to bring the fighting to a stop.
The US State Department stated that Blinken had spoken to the two generals separately over the phone.
Blinken said: “I made very clear (in my calls) that any attacks or threats or dangers posed to our diplomats were totally unacceptable.” The statement was reportedly made at the Group of Seven wealthy nations meeting that took place in Japan on Tuesday, per the report.
Dagalo took to Twitter on Tuesday, posting: “Honored to have a vital conversation with US Secretary of State, Mr. Anthony Blinken. We discussed pressing issues in Sudan and our shared dedication to freedom, justice, and democracy for our people.”
“We recognize the challenges before us, standing firm against extremism undermining our progress towards a just and democratic society. Although reluctant participants in this war, it is necessary to protect our people and defend our values.”
“Reaffirmed our unwavering commitment to safeguarding innocent civilians in our areas of control, reflecting our respect for human dignity and the sanctity of life.”
“Grateful to Mr. Blinken and the US for their continued support and shared commitment to restoring stability in Sudan. We will have another call to continuing dialogue and working hand-in-hand to forge a brighter future for our nations.”
Burhan and Dagalo were former allies who had strategized a coup in October 2021, but they now find themselves on the opposite side of the battlefield, demanding the other’s surrender.
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