Photos released by the U.S. Marines capture a flag-lowering ceremony that took place before the evacuation of the American embassy in Sudan.
Images show members of the Marine Security Guard Detachment lowering the American flag on April 22 as Sudanese civil conflicts forced embassy staff to flee the country.
Members of the Marine Security Guard Detachment at the U.S. Embassy in Khartoum, Sudan, posed with the folded flag after it was ceremonially lowered.
SECOND AMERICAN DEAD IN SUDAN, WHITE HOUSE NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL SPOX JOHN KIRBY CONFIRMS
The photos were taken on the ground as well as captured on security cameras within the compound.
The Marine Security Guard Detachment assigned to the U.S. Embassy in Khartoum, Sudan, during a flag-folding ceremony, April 22, 2023. (U.S. Marine Corps courtesy photo)
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The conflict between the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and Sudan’s armed forces began on April 15.
The Marine Security Guard Detachment and Regional Security Office assigned to the U.S. Embassy in Khartoum, Sudan, pose following a flag-folding ceremony on April 22, 2023. (U.S. Marine Corps courtesy photo)
In a security alert Tuesday, the State Department reiterated that “due to the uncertain security situation in Khartoum and closure of the airport, it is not currently safe to undertake a U.S. government-coordinated evacuation of private U.S. citizens.”
The Marine Security Guard Detachment assigned to the U.S. Embassy in Khartoum, Sudan, lowers the flag, April 22, 2023. (U.S. Marine Corps courtesy photo)
Instead, it advised the estimated 16,000 Americans believed to be in Sudan to remain sheltered in place.
The U.S. has come under scrutiny for using elite SEAL commandos to evacuate roughly 70 embassy staff in a helicopter mission over the weekend while telling thousands of private American citizens that no such operation would be carried out for them.
Marine Sgt. Joshua Arledge salutes the U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of the Sudan John T. Godfrey after presenting him with the folded flag lowered on April 22. (U.S. Marine Corps courtesy photo)
While the U.S. says it’s too dangerous to get its citizens out, other countries, including France, Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom, Spain, Holland, Turkey, Japan, South Korea, Jordan, South Africa, Egypt and Saudi Arabia, are proceeding with evacuations of their nationals.
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At least two Americans have been killed in Sudan in recent weeks.
Fox News’s Lawrence Richard contributed to this report.
