U.S. convoy fired on in Sudan, Blinken says

A U.S. diplomatic convoy in Sudan was fired on in a “reckless” and “irresponsible” attack amid the African nation’s ongoing violence, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Tuesday.

None of the Americans were injured, he told reporters while speaking in Japan, emphasizing that the convoy was fired upon despite bearing diplomatic plates and a U.S. flag.

“We have deep concerns, of course, about the overall security environment as it affects civilians, as it affects diplomats, as it affects aid workers,” he said.

During a call Tuesday morning, Blinken told Gen. Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, who leads Sudan’s military, and Gen. Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, the commander of the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, that the attack was “totally unacceptable.”

He also underscored the need for a ceasefire, and, following the call, the RSF issued a temporary ceasefire “to open safe paths for the passage of civilians,” the group wrote in a tweet.

While the incident is under investigation, initial reports show that the RSF was responsible for the attack, the secretary of state said.

When asked whether Americans in Sudan were safe, National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby told reporters Monday that all U.S. government personnel are accounted for and sheltering in place, refusing to provide further details.

“We are staying in close touch with them right now, and we expect those communications to continue,” Kirby said. “But I don’t want to get ahead of where we are.”

Blinken said he’s in contact with Americans on the ground in Sudan, refusing to elaborate other than saying that the U.S. “will continue to take every responsible measure to make sure that our people are safe and secure.”

The U.S. has also been in “close coordination” with counterparts from the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and the United Kingdom to deal with the deepening violence in Sudan, he said. The ultimate goal is to “put Sudan back on the track of talks, negotiations, again, to restore civilian-led government.”

Alex Ward contributed to this report.