A US diplomatic convoy was fired on by gunmen believed to be affiliated with the Sudanese Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in Khartoum, Secretary of State Antony Blinken confirmed on Tuesday.
Although there were no immediate reports of casualties, the incident on Monday night marks another escalation in the fighting in Sudan and is the latest in a series of attacks on foreign diplomats in Khartoum.
At least 100 rounds were fired at the US embassy convoy during the attack in Khartoum, according to Al-Arabiya.
Blinken said at a press conference at the end of the G7 foreign ministers summit in Japan that the vehicles in the convoy had diplomatic license plates and were marked with US flags.
He said no US personnel were harmed in the attack, which he called “reckless and irresponsible.”
Blinken said that initial reports suggested the attack was conducted by gunmen affiliated with the RSF militia, which has been fighting the Sudanese military in recent days.
The attack on the US convoy happened shortly after gunmen entered the EU ambassador’s residence in Khartoum and attacked the ambassador.
Blinken said he spoke on the phone on Tuesday with the commander of the Sudanese military General Abdul Fattah al-Burhan and the commander of the RSF militia Mohamed Hamdan Degalo AKA “Hemedti’ and stressed attack on the US convoy was unacceptable.
The two generals are responsible to ensure the safety and wellbeing of civilians, diplomatic personnel, and humanitarian workers, he added.
Blinken said he proposed to the two generals a 24-hour humanitarian ceasefire in Sudan that would allow the delivery of aid and could be a basis for a more stable cessation of hostilities.