Smoke rises from a drone in the Khartoum North Light Industrial Area in Bahri, Sudan. , Photo Credit: Reuters
Canada suspended its consular services in Sudan on Sunday, saying a rapidly deteriorating condition The capital city of Khartoum has made it impossible to secure the safety and security of its employees.
Hundreds have been killed and thousands injured in just 10 days after power-sharing talks between the country’s armed forces and its paramilitary forces deteriorated rapidly.
“The situation in Sudan has rapidly deteriorated, making it impossible to protect the safety and security of our staff,” Global Affairs Canada said in a statement. “After consultation with the Canadian Ambassador to Sudan, the decision has been made to temporarily suspend our operations in Sudan.
Canadian diplomats will temporarily work from a secure location outside the country, the statement said, adding that they will continue to work with others to coordinate the response to the Sudan crisis.
Canada’s decision comes after an indefinite crackdown by US special operations forces evacuation of the american embassy in sudan on Sunday, sweeping in and out of the capital with helicopters on the ground for less than an hour. No firing took place and no casualties were reported.
With the last American employee at the embassy gone, Washington indefinitely closed the US mission in Khartoum. Thousands of private American citizens who were left behind remained in the East African country.
the new York Times The report said that US special forces took out six Canadian diplomats, while BBC says Canadians are among a group sent by sea to Saudi Arabia. Global Affairs did not immediately confirm those reports.
As of Saturday, 1,596 Canadian citizens were formally registered in Sudan, although experts say that figure is likely much higher.