Germany on Wednesday was evacuating its nationals from South Sudan where tensions were running high amid uncertainty over whether a ceasefire would hold, according to dpa. The United States, which had previously announced a reduction of embassy personnel, announced late Wednesday that it had sent 47 troops to protect its embassy in Juba. The first German citizens were evacuated with military cargo planes to Uganda on Wednesday, according to a foreign ministry spokeswoman in Berlin. About 100 Germans are currently in South Sudan, including 15 military observers with the UN mission who will stay in the country. Germany was also prepared to help other Europeans to leave, the spokeswoman said.