A second citizen of the United States has died in Sudan during brutal fighting between rival military factions, the White House has confirmed.
According to report, US National Security spokesman, John Kirby told reporters the administration is still “actively” trying to get trapped Americans out after a week of terrifying violence.
He did not provide much detail on how the American died but said the fighting had subsided.
The Joe Biden administration has been under fire for its response to rescuing over 16,000 citizens trapped in the war-torn country, with critics drawing comparisons to the chaotic Afghanistan withdrawal in August 2021.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken, however, said earlier this week that only “dozens” of Americans wanted to leave.
Kirby said the US government did not have a specific number of Americans that had left, and only knew of those who had asked for help.
“We extend our deepest condolences to the family”, Kirby told reporters about the American casualty on Wednesday morning.
“We continue to make clear at the highest levels of our government the leadership of both the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces that they are responsible for ensuring the protection of civilians and noncombatants including people from third countries and humanitarian staff that are working to save lives.
“We’ve said this many, many times that the violence is simply unconscionable and it must stop,” he added.
“We’ve got to do what’s right for the Sudanese people”, Kirby continued.
‘They want a return to peace and security in Khartoum and around the country, and they want to see a transition to civilian authority. And we need to keep working at that”, he said.
