Kenya closes Embassy in Sudan as violence worsens

Kenya has closed it’s Embassy in Khartoum over staff safety, as violence in the war-torn nation worsens.

“Kenya Mission in Khartoum which had remained open to facilitate the evacuation of any Kenyans still in the country is now closed,” Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Korir Sing’oei.

Kenya’s Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Korir Sing’oei had on Monday said that they were receiving information that diplomatic officials were likely to be targeted by armed groups.

“We continue to receive disturbing news of the targeting of diplomatic officials by armed groups in Khartoum, Sudan,” he wrote on Twitter.

The closure of the Embassy spells doom for any more Kenyans who may still be stranded in Khartoum.

In April, CS Mutua announced that Kenya would keep its Embassy open even as other countries rushed to close theirs over safety concerns. The first evacuation of Kenyans stranded in Sudan was done in April, days after the violence erupted.

The ongoing violence in Sudan broke out in April after fighting erupted between the army and the RSF paramilitary group battling to control the country. Hundreds of civilians caught in the clashes have been killed, 400,000 driven across the border and more than 1.2 million have fled the capital and other cities.

Last week, the African Union launched its ‘roadmap’ to attempt peace in Sudan by involving more political and civilian movements.

We have been covering the escalation of violence in Sudan from its outset. For more on this topic, read:

‘Third group of Kenyans Evacuated from Sudan’