The situation in Sudan could deteriorate at any time and Americans should leave the country within the next 24-48 hours, White House spokeswoman Karin Jean-Pierre said today.

The US government is concerned about ceasefire violations in Sudan, and the State Department sees a de-escalation unlikely, even though the Sudanese military earlier agreed to a 72-hour extension of the current ceasefire, which expires at midnight on Friday.

For his part, the Pentagon spokesman said today that few US citizens are still looking for ways to leave Sudan.

Asked about the possibility of a military evacuation operation by sea, Brigadier General Patrick Ryder said: “We are working closely with the State Department to determine the number of Americans who wish to leave Sudan … Currently, the indications we have are that their number is relatively small. However, we recognize that data can change quickly.”