Booker, Van Hollen Statement on the Situation in Sudan

Statement

"We are extremely grateful to the U.S. Special Forces who successfully evacuated our embassy personnel from the war zone in Sudan's capital. We support the State Department and Department of Defense continuing to work together to ensure the safety of American citizens who remain in Sudan, including those still sheltering in place, those who want to leave the country, and those who are trying to evacuate through overland convoys. It is imperative that the Administration and Congress continue to maintain close communication about the evolving situation on the ground.

The fighting between rival forces in Sudan has already claimed hundreds of lives, including those of a U.S. citizen and international humanitarian aid workers, and injured thousands. Tens of thousands are displaced and millions are now trapped running out of basic resources--such as food, water, medicine, and fuel. We condemn this needless violence in the strongest possible terms and urge the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces to lay down their arms and work toward a permanent cessation of hostilities and allow the immediate flow of humanitarian resources. The U.S. stands ready to help those in need, and we strongly support USAID's deployment of a Disaster Assistance Response Team to the region to coordinate the humanitarian response.

The deteriorating conditions require renewed diplomatic leadership from the United States and the international community to ensure accountability, justice, and a path to the long-sought, peaceful transition to civilian-led government. Sudan's people deserve a future that is free from the grip of an undemocratic military junta that has dominated the country's affairs for far too long."

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