![]() Osterhout said the embassy is a "very hard target" because the Marines guarding the facility are a "very effective deterrent."ĭuring the evacuation preparations, the Marines had to protect the national security information at the embassy, which meant safeguarding and destroying sensitive equipment and classified information. Osterhout said there were "significant concerns" that low-level forces may seize an opportunity to hold up an embassy convoy or try to gain access to a housing compound, rather than the embassy itself. At least two Americans have been killed since the fighting began. Moving about Khartoum meant traveling in a contested environment, one in which an American could easily end up in the wrong place at the wrong time. At any given diplomatic post, the Marines work under regional security officers (RSOs) from the Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) - the ambassador's security and law enforcement advisors.ĭSS Deputy Assistant Director Thad Osterhout (far right) and other DSS leadership, alongside interagency partners, closely monitored the departure from Khartoum from the DSS Command Center in Arlington, VA on April 22, 2023 Marine Security Guards are a 24-hour presence at US embassies around the world, and their mission is to protect classified information, US government personnel, and the physical facility. "But you need to be ready if it does." A symbolic moment "It's not likely to happen," Ferrari said. ![]() It is something they prepare and train for. Though there were signs, the Marines didn't know for sure an evacuation was coming, but it's something that they were ready for. No one was hurt, but Secretary of State Antony Blinken slammed the incident as "reckless" and "irresponsible." By April 20, US forces had been deployed to positions near Sudan in case they had to quickly extract diplomatic staff. Foreign governments began efforts to pull out their diplomatic staff and, in some cases, also moved to evacuate their civilians.Īt one point, armed fighters even opened fire on a clearly marked US embassy convoy that had identification plates and an American flag. Within days, violence quickly gripped the country, killing hundreds of people and injuring thousands more. Account icon An icon in the shape of a person's head and shoulders.
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