The White House confirmed on Wednesday that a second American had died in Sudan after violence broke out earlier this month.
John Kirby, spokesman for the National Security Council, shared the news on Wednesday morning with reporters. He did not give any details about the American or the cause of death except to say that it happened Tuesday. He said that the administration extends its condolences and reminds the Sudanese leadership of their responsibility for the safety civilians.
Kirby said that the United States actively facilitates the evacuation of certain Americans from Sudan by using U.S. intelligence and surveillance assets to guide Americans towards Port Sudan.
Biden’s administration continues to claim that a government-run airlift is not safe, despite other countries such as the United Kingdom and France having conducted one in recent days. Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated that as of Monday afternoon there were still “dozens” Americans in the country who are looking for an exit.
The State Department confirmed that the first American was killed in Sudan on Friday without providing any details. According to government estimates, there are approximately 16,000 Americans living in Sudan. However, it is not clear how recent this estimate is or how many are dual citizens with roots in the nation.
In Sudan, serious fighting broke out weeks ago between rival generals that had agreed to share power after a coup of 2019. Talks between the two generals to form a civilian democratic government failed and now the country is in civil war. The fighting has killed more than 500 people so far and the Khartoum airport is closed.
