LONDON: There were no plans for a US government evacuation from Sudan at the moment, the White House said on Monday.
The Biden administration’s national security spokesman John Kirby said, however, Americans should treat the volatile situation in the African country with utmost seriousness.
He added that all US personnel in Sudan were accounted for and that they were sheltering in place.
His comments came after sources from the US embassy in the country told Al Arabiya that 100 bullets from the Rapid Support Forces group deliberately targeted one of its cars.
Fighting between the Sudanese army and a rival paramilitary faction has killed around 200 people and wounded 1,800 after three days of urban warfare.
The United Nations has called for an immediate cease-fire and international bodies, including the European Union, have expressed grave concern.
Elsewhere on Monday, the European Union’s ambassador to Sudan was assaulted in his own residency, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borell said in a tweet.
“This constitutes a gross violation of the Vienna Convention. Security of diplomatic premises and staff is a primary responsibility of Sudanese authorities and an obligation under international law,” his tweet read.
He gave no further details on the incident.
The EU’s ambassador to Sudan is veteran Irish diplomat Aidan O’Hara. EU spokeswoman Nabila Massrali told AFP that he was “OK” following the assault.
“The security of the staff is our priority,” she said. “The EU delegation has not been evacuated. Security measures are being assessed.”
* With AFP and Reuters
