US President Joe Biden announced on Saturday night that he had removed diplomatic staff from the US embassy in Khartoum, where heavy fighting has entered its second week, adding that Washington had temporarily suspended the operation of its embassy there.

“Today, on my order, the US military conducted an operation to remove US government personnel,” Biden said in a statement, calling for “an end” to the “senseless” clashes.

“This tragic violence in Sudan has already cost the lives of hundreds of innocent civilians. It is senseless and must stop,” he said.

At the same time, the American president pointed out that he is regularly informed by his team about its work to provide assistance to the Americans who are in Sudan and is working with allies and partners on the issue.

For his part, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken noted that the US has temporarily suspended the activities of its embassy in Khartoum after safely removing its staff and their relatives.

Blinken explained that the staff were removed because of an “unacceptable risk” to their safety, but did not elaborate further on the operation. According to American media, military aircraft and helicopters were used to evacuate the Americans.

Besides, the number of Americans who were removed is not known, although it is at least 70 people, according to an American official who wished to remain anonymous.

“We will continue to assist the Americans in Khartoum (…) and provide regular updates on American citizens in the region,” Blinken added in a statement, in which he repeated his appeal to the warring sides to extend the ceasefire they have declared. for the Eid al-Fitr holiday and to agree to a complete cessation of hostilities.

Yesterday Saturday, Saudi Arabia announced that it had removed more than 150 people from Sudan to the port of Jeddah.

The evacuation was carried out by the country’s navy with the support of other military forces, the Saudi foreign ministry noted, announcing “the safe arrival” of 91 Saudi citizens and about 66 citizens of 12 other countries.

These are citizens of Kuwait, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Tunisia, Pakistan, India, Bulgaria, Bangladesh, Philippines, Canada and Burkina Faso.

“Diplomats and international officials” are among the people removed from Sudan, according to Riyadh’s statement.

Meanwhile, Germany’s defense and foreign ministers said they held an emergency meeting on Saturday to consider whether it was possible to evacuate the country’s citizens from Sudan after German warplanes were forced to make a 180-degree U-turn on Wednesday, according to the magazine. Der Spiegel.

For several days the US, South Korea and Japan have deployed forces in Sudan’s neighboring countries, while the EU is considering taking similar measures to remove their diplomats and citizens from the country.