EU ambassador assaulted in Khartoum home

The EU’s ambassador in Sudan has been assaulted in his home in Khartoum, top EU diplomat Josep Borrell has said.

Mr. Borrell did not reveal any details of the attack, but an EU spokeswoman said the ambassador was “OK”.

“Security of diplomatic premises and staff is a primary responsibility of Sudanese authorities”, Mr. Borrell wrote on Twitter.

Although Mr. Borrell didn’t name him, the EU’s ambassador to Sudan is Aidan O’Hara, an Irish diplomat.

EU spokeswoman Nabila Massrali told AFP “The security of staff is our priority” and that the EU delegation has not been evacuated from Khartoum following the attack.

She said they were assessing their security measures.

Monday was Sudan’s third day of fighting between the army and a paramilitary group called the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

Both sides claimed to control key sites in Khartoum, where residents sheltered from explosions.

More than 1,800 civilians and fighters have been injured according to Volker Perthes, the United Nations envoy for Sudan. He told reporters on Monday that around 185 people had died.

The conflict has seen numerous air strikes, artillery fires, and heavy gunfire in civilian neighborhoods.

The US State Department spokesman, John Kirby, said there were currently no plans to evacuate US personnel, because of ongoing security concerns and the closure of Khartoum’s airport.

But he urged all Americans to treat the situation “with the utmost seriousness”.

The conflict has forced many civilians to shelter in their homes amid fears of a prolonged conflict that could land the country in deeper chaos.

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