Operation Kaveri: 2 aircraft & one ship to rescue 3K from Sudan

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, April 24

India on Monday launched “Operation Kaveri” to evacuate its nationals from violence-hit Sudan with about 500 reaching Port Sudan and more on their way, said External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar.

“Our ships and aircraft are set to bring them back home. Committed to assisting all our brethren in Sudan,” Jaishankar tweeted. Sudan has been witnessing deadly fighting between the country’s army and paramilitary group Rapid Support Forces for the last 10 days that has reportedly left around 600 persons dead. Nearly 3,000 Indian nationals, including 31 from Karnataka’s tribal community — Hakki Pikki — are stuck in the violence-hit nation with little food and water. India has put two military transport aircraft and a patrol vessel on standby in Jeddah and Port Sudan, respectively. Some Indians have already been evacuated from Khartoum by other countries whose evacuation operations are already in full swing. Some of them were assisted out of Sudan by Saudi Arabia by road as they were part of the crew of a Saudi flight. France has also evacuated five Indians, according to a French embassy release. Sources say the evacuation of Indians will depend on how the security situation evolves.

Their assessment is that the situation continues to be unstable due to heavy fighting, including in several locations in Khartoum. “As part of our preparations and in order to move swiftly, the government is pursuing multiple options,” the MEA said.

Many European countries, the US, Russia, China, Japan and others have already started evacuating their citizens, taking advantage of a relative lull during Eid to escape by road. France and Germany on Monday said they evacuated around 700 people. Like India, 500 Indonesians have also arrived at Port Sudan and are awaiting evacuation.

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