(NewsNation) — A Veteran-led non-profit is helping Americans stranded in Sudan as conflict rages on in the African country, despite reports of a 72-hour cease-fire.
Bryan Stern, CEO and founder of the non-profit Project Dynamo, said the situation in Sudan is fragile, likening the cease-fire to a game of Jenga.
“The opportunity for mistakes is very real…” Stern said. “Just because the higher-ups make an agreement doesn’t mean a young kid doesn’t make a mistake that turns into the shot heard around the world.”
Amid the chaos, Project Dynamo has a team on the ground assisting with evacuation.
The group’s website accepts evacuation requests online, which require information including the name, location, and passport number o the person in need.
So far, Project Dynamo’s rescues have been carried out on-land but air operations aren’t out of the question, Stern said.
“Don’t be surprised if you see us doing air operations,” he said. “The situation right now doesn’t lend itself to that for now, but I think that that is definitely on the table for the next 72 hours.”
Everything from the cost food and water to the threat of a flat tire or a broken cease-fire weighs heavy on Stern’s mind, he said.
“What are we worried about?” Stern asked. “Pretty much everything.”
Project Dynamo is entirely donor-funded.
The fighting between forces led by two generals resulted in the deaths of about 450 people and the injured about 4,000 as of Monday, according to the U.S. Department of Defense.
Earlier in the week, the U.S. Embassy suspended operations in Khartoum and on Tuesday, the State Department said it’s no longer safe for the government to evacuate private U.S. citizens from Sudan.
There were an estimated 16,000 Americans remained in Sudan Monday.
Private U.S. citizens can still fill out this form to find an exit strategy as security conditions allow.