Sudan - a descent into madness

Basically, two different warlords fighting it out for power. It won't be long before it starts to resemble Haiti. Some Irish expats have been inconvenienced.

This NI teacher would like to be evacuated, although its not clear by whom? He appeals to RoI, whereas the British would be more likely to have the capability. Irish teacher in Sudan asks for help in evacuating his family from war torn Khartoum | BreakingNews.ie More than 300 people have been killed in fighting between the army in Sudan and the force called the Rapid Support Forces www.



breakingnews.ie This fine fellow was subjected to a home invasion. Armed men ‘stormed’ home of Irish EU ambassador in Sudan, says commission Long-serving diplomat Aidan O’Hara was assaulted in Khartoum incident on Monday www.

irishtimes.com " You damned blackguards, do you not know who I am? This house is under the protection of the mighty EU Alliance, and I will be writing a very strongly worded letter to your leaders as a result of this outrage!" Its odd that he did not employ a few security guards carrying AKs, they would be as cheap as chips out there. Still, I suppose these types don't usually have much in the way of common sense.

Arrah shure that place has been a den of Madhi-ness ever since the demise of Charles Gordon ...

diaspora-mick said: Arrah shure that place has been a den of Madhi-ness ever since the demise of Charles Gordon ...

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Gordon had ample time to leave Khartoum but declined to do so. An expensive relief expedition was launched to extricate him when in sight of the walls they saw the flag of the Mahdi flying in the wind..

. I think it is almost a certainty that if there is not a viable ceasefire in operation within the next 10/14 days that a major international intervention will be launched to extricate all EU/NATO expatriates from the Capital of Sudan. UK, US and others prepare to evacuate nationals from Sudan​ Sudan army agrees to evacuation of foreign nationals and diplomats as fighting between rival forces continues Sudan: US evacuates embassy staff and families, France launches rescue for ‘Europeans and allies’ Joe Biden says US has retrieved personnel from Khartoum as fighting continues between rival armed groups www.

theguardian.com can someone assign me an opinion, who are we supporting and who are the bad guys? Its kinda like a military coup, except that there are two separate armies, and the military coup has already happened (years ago). So its a coup, on top of an earlier coup.

One army is referred to in the media as "a paramilitary force", to distinguish it from the regular army. Imagine, if you will, that the Wagner group in Russia was allowed to grow so large that it felt strong enough to take a crack at deposing Putin. Thats roughly the sort of situation they are in.

I can't see this ending quickly, or without a serious fight. As for deciding which are the bad guys - spin a coin! recedite said: Its kinda like a military coup, except that there are two separate armies, and the military coup has already happened (years ago). So its a coup, on top of an earlier coup.

One army is referred to in the media as "a paramilitary force", to distinguish it from the regular army. Imagine, if you will, that the Wagner group in Russia was allowed to grow so large that it felt strong enough to take a crack at deposing Putin. Thats roughly the sort of situation they are in.

I can't see this ending quickly, or without a serious fight. As for deciding which are the bad guys - spin a coin! Click to expand..

. at least Putin was a bit smarter sending the Wagner group into the meat grinder poorly armed, keeps any threat to a minimum silverharp said: at least Putin was a bit smarter sending the Wagner group into the meat grinder poorly armed, keeps any threat to a minimum Click to expand..

. Wagner are very well armed. Is this it.

.. Sudan: US evacuates embassy staff and families, France launches rescue for ‘Europeans and allies’​ Joe Biden says US has retrieved personnel from Khartoum as fighting continues between rival armed groups The US military has evacuated embassy staff and families from Khartoum, according to Joe Biden, as other countries are also scrambling to get their nationals out of Sudan amid continued fighting.

France’s foreign ministry said on Sunday that a “rapid evacuation operation” had begun, and that European citizens and those from “allied partner countries” would also be assisted, without giving further details. On Saturday night, US special forces in Chinook helicopters reportedly swept in to evacuate about 70 Americans who were taken from a landing zone at the embassy to an undisclosed location in Ethiopia, according to US officials. British embassy staff would be evacuated “as soon as feasible” due to safety fears following attacks on diplomatic missions, a UK government source told PA Media.

But any evacuation would be “incredibly limited” and focused on the small number of British civil servants based in Khartoum. Sudan: US evacuates embassy staff and families, France launches rescue for ‘Europeans and allies’ Joe Biden says US has retrieved personnel from Khartoum as fighting continues between rival armed groups www.theguardian.

com The yanks are good at that sort of thing. They have both the will and the capability to evac their own people from tricky situations. It will be interesting to see who will help the Irish citizens.

Traditionally it would have been the British, but in a post- Brexit world and with the Irish Army training in EU battlegroups with the other EU PESCO countries, perhaps it will be a job for the French this time? That unfortunate Derryman stuck in the basement with his family will probably be hedging his bets, telling the British that he is British, and telling the French that he is Irish. I dont think it will be acceptable to the UK population if only the British embassy staff are evacuated, and the ordinary Citizen Joe is left hung out to dry. Is the British military really that overstretched due to their commitment to Ukraine, that they would abandon their own people in danger in the Sudan? Like when General Gordon got in over his head, send a message from London wishing them the best of luck? We will wait and see what happens.

A daring plan by the Saudis to bus people to the coast and then put them aboard a ship worked out well. On Saturday, more than 150 people, mostly citizens of Gulf countries, as well as Egypt, Pakistan and Canada were evacuated by sea to the Saudi Arabian port of Jeddah. Click to expand.

.. The British are still dithering.

The French military have turned tail after being fired on. Cheese-eating surrender monkeys! A French convoy reportedly came under fire while trying to leave the embassy and had to turn back. Click to expand.

.. Sudan fighting: Diplomats and foreign nationals evacuated Overnight evacuations see hundreds of foreign diplomats and citizens leave Khartoum, following a week of fighting.

www.bbc.com Europe isn't what it used to be.

Not a very inspiring response so far. Government to deploy Defence Forces members to assist Irish citizens seeking to leave Sudan​ The Government has agreed to deploy 12 members of the Defence Forces to to assist Irish passport holders who are seeking to flee from Sudan. The Defence Forces personnel will first fly to nearby Djibouti, it emerged this afternoon.

An incorporeal Cabinet meeting was held to sign off on the plans to assist 150 people with Irish citizenship still in the country which has become a battle ground in recent weeks. In a statement this afternoon from the Department of Foreign Affairs, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and Tánaiste Micheál Martin said that the Government had approved the deployment of an Emergency Civil Assistance Team (ECAT) mission. "The mission will involve Defence Forces personnel, in support of Department of Foreign Affairs officials, to assist with the process of evacuating Irish citizens and their dependents from the crisis in Sudan.

“The Government remains deeply concerned by the situation in Sudan and the Irish Embassy in Nairobi and the Department of Foreign Affairs in Dublin are in ongoing contact with over 150 Irish citizens in Sudan. The Department has also been working actively with our international partners to arrange for the evacuation of Irish citizens. Such evacuation operations are highly sensitive given the volatile security situation on the ground.

“The Government has decided that up to 12 Defence Forces personnel will be deployed initially to Djibouti as part of an Emergency Civil Assistance Team (ECAT) mission led by the Department of Foreign Affairs, in conjunction with the Department of Defence. The ECAT mission will provide consular and other assistance to Irish citizens and their dependents being evacuated from Sudan.” Government to deploy Defence Forces members to assist Irish citizens seeking to leave Sudan The Government has agreed to deploy 12 members of the Defence Forces to to assist Irish passport holders who are seeking to flee from Sudan.

www.independent.ie 12 Marvel heroes going over to Sudan to kick some ass! I suspect the incorporeal cabinet members had no idea what to do, but wanted to look like they are doing something.

The 12 heroes will likely set up camp far from the action in Djibouti, and there "await further developments". This is not like the staged "mission" to evacuate Lisa Smith from Turkey. In that case the Turks had finished interrogating her and were trying to get rid of her.

All they needed was for somebody to send over a new passport for her by courier, and the Turkish police would have put her aboard the next passenger plane out of there. This is a real situation. It will require a serious plan and some serious military hardware.

The Americans used Chinooks and they negotiated safe passage for them from the lads on the ground holding the missiles. Catapulta said: Gordon had ample time to leave Khartoum but declined to do so. An expensive relief expedition was launched to extricate him when in sight of the walls they saw the flag of the Mahdi flying in the wind.

.. Click to expand.

.. Most would have fled.

Gordon had balls of steel. Sudan evacuation: ‘It was a nightmare. These are Irish citizens’ Irish doctor describes father’s ordeal in escaping Khartoum and says others are trapped there www.

irishtimes.com It seems that a large number of people carrying Irish passports have made their way to the French and Spanish embassies, and from there are being evacuated to Europe. It also seems that most of those "Irish" people are in fact Sudanese who had been back on their holidays for Eid/Ramadan.

Such people would have local knowledge and ways of moving around that an actual Irish expat would not necessarily have access to. Therefore it seems at this point that the Irish army personnel are safely ensconced in Djibouti, which is a popular spot for various militarys, notably British and Americans. While the Irish expats are still holed up in their basements in Khartoum.

UK troops working with US military at base for Yemen drone operations Tom Watson MP and rights group express concern as MoD admits presence of UK personnel in Djibouti but denies involvement in plotting strikes on al-Qaida www.theguardian.com TBH the situation in the Sudan seems less of a 'descent into madness' than just business as usual bob3344 said: TBH the situation in the Sudan seems less of a 'descent into madness' than just business as usual Click to expand.

.. That's one way of looking at it .

.. There was a time in Sudan when a foreigner could safely walk from North to South.

, That is when it was run by the British/Egyptians in the later stages of the Victorian Era.. The sad fact is that many countries like Sudan are riddled by tribal , ethnic divides that are exploited by their own politicians and external forces for their own advantage, Couple this with an exploding population, lots of loot, easy access to military weapons , and a undermining of governance and the natural evolution of local institutions by NGOs etc and sure what could go wrong.

I was in Khartoum and was invited to an army officers mess. That evening , picked up at my hotel and driven to the mess. Expecting to find a mess similar to what one encounter in Ireland or England I was amazed to find myself in a huge walled complex.

complete with irrigated playing fields, ( outside it was desert,) a mess ( with no bar nor booze) that was more like the foyer of an expensive hotel . Many oif thesde countries, Sudan Zimbabwe, DRC. are really run by the military.