Sudan has rejected a U.S. request to send a team of 50 marines to bolster security at the U.S. Embassy in the capital, Khartoum, following an attack on the building by Muslims angered by U.S.-made anti-Islam film, the state news agency SUNA reported.
About 5,000 rioters attacked the Embassies of Germany, the United States and the U.K. in Khartoum on Friday. The attack on the U.S. Embassy was thwarted by police and security personnel, who fired warning shots and tear gas at protesters.
“Sudan is able to protect the diplomatic missions in Khartoum and the state is committed to protecting its guests in the diplomatic corps,” SUNA quoted Sudanese Foreign Minister Ali Ahmed Karti as saying on Saturday.
Meanwhile, the U.S. State Department has ordered the departure of all family members and non-essential U.S. government personnel from posts in Sudan as well as in Tunisia due to security concerns over anti-American violence.
The posting on Tuesday of a U.S.-made short film titled "Innocence of Muslims" on the popular video-sharing service YouTube sparked anti-American protests in Muslim communities around the globe, which by Sunday spread to some 20 countries.
The movie has been lambasted as offensive to Prophet Mohammed and immoral.
The most violent clashes between protesters and police around U.S. diplomatic missions have occurred so far in Libya, where U.S. Ambassador Chris Stevens and three other American diplomats were killed, Yemen, Egypt, Sudan and Tunisia.
Washington has reportedly sent additional Marines detachments to Libya and Yemen to ensure protection of U.S. diplomatic missions there.
