OTTAWA – Canada is temporarily suspending its operations in Sudan.

The day after announcing that the evacuation of staff from the US Embassy in Sudan was complete, Global Affairs Canada on Sunday recognized a danger to Canadians there.

“The situation in Sudan has deteriorated rapidly, making it impossible to ensure the safety of our personnel in Khartoum,” a statement released in the morning said.

“After consultation with the Canadian Ambassador to Sudan, we have decided to temporarily suspend our activities in Sudan. Canadian diplomatic personnel will temporarily work from a safe location outside of the country.

They will continue to “coordinate the response to this crisis and provide support to Canadians who are still in the country,” says Global Affairs Canada.

“The Embassy of Canada will resume its activities in Khartoum as soon as the security situation in Sudan allows us to ensure proper service and adequate security for our staff.”

In the meantime, limited consular services are available.

On Friday evening, the Canadian government announced that members of Global Affairs Canada’s Permanent Rapid Response Team would be deployed to Djibouti, in the neighboring country of the same name, due to the instability and rapid deterioration in the situation in Sudan.

Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly announced the temporary suspension of personal activities at the Canadian Embassy in Khartoum. She said the rapid deployment team can provide emergency response, coordination, consular support and logistical support.

Canadians requiring emergency consular assistance should contact Global Affairs Canada’s Emergency Watch and Response Centre, including by telephone at 1-613-996-8885 or email at [email protected] or using the Telegram app at Emergency Canada Abroad.

The federal government said on Friday that the Department of Defense and the Canadian Armed Forces are “planning for various contingencies,” but gave no further details.

The State Department estimated that about 1,500 Canadians were registered as in Sudan.

The power struggle between the Sudanese Army, led by General Abdel-Fattah Burhan, and the Rapid Support Forces, led by General Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo, has dealt a blow to Sudan’s heady hopes for a democratic transition. More than 400 people, including 264 civilians, were killed and more than 3,500 wounded in action.