After the Indian Government on Monday launched “Operation Kaveri” to evacuate its nationals from strife-torn Sudan, the first batch of Indians left the African nation onboard INS Sumedha, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said here on Tuesday.
Sudan has been witnessing fierce fighting following a power struggle between the army and a paramilitary force for the last 11 days that has reportedly left 400 people dead.
Bagchi said 278 people departed from Port Sudan for the Saudi Arabian city of Jeddah. “First batch of stranded Indians leave Sudan under #Operation Kaveri. INS Sumedha with 278 people onboard departs Port Sudan for Jeddah,” Bagchi tweeted.
Nearly 500 Indian nationals, of the about 3,000 Indians living in Sudan, had reached the port.
As part of the evacuation, India has deployed two C-130J transport planes in Jeddah, besides INS Sumedha which reached Port Sudan late on Sunday. The airport in Khartoum, capital of Sudan, is closed as heavy fighting is on near the complex. The evacuated people are likely to be flown back to India in C-130 Js from Jeddah.
France has evacuated five Indians along with citizens of 27 other countries as part of its evacuation mission from the African nation. Saudi Arabia had evacuated at least three Indians with people of other nationalities on Sunday.
“Operation Kaveri is underway to bring back our citizens stranded in Sudan. About 500 Indians have reached Port Sudan while more are on their way. Our ships and aircraft are set to bring them back home. We are committed to assisting all our brethren in Sudan,” External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar had tweeted on Monday.
The evacuation comes days after Jaishankar held talks with his counterparts in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Both countries had assured their “practical support on the ground”.
Meanwhile, the French embassy in New Delhi said on Monday 388 people from 28 countries, including India, were evacuated. “French evacuation operations are underway. Last night, two military flight rotations evacuated 388 people of 28 countries, including Indian nationals,” it tweeted.
The five Indian nationals were brought to France’s military base in Djibouti along with the other people, French diplomatic sources said. Three flights brought approximately 500 evacuees to Djibouti, they added.
On Sunday, Saudi Arabia said it has evacuated from Sudan 66 citizens from “brotherly and friendly” foreign countries that included a few Indian nationals.
People familiar with the matter said in New Delhi that Saudi Arabia evacuated three Indians, who were part of the crew of a Saudi flight and stuck in Khartoum.
Meanwhile, the Madhya Pradesh (MP) Government has started a helpline to assist people from the State as well as other parts of the country who are stranded in Sudan, an official said on Tuesday in Bhopal.
Those stranded in Sudan and are keen to come back to MP or other States can contact the helpline “91-755-2555582” and share their details, the official said. The State Government will coordinate with the Centre to facilitate their evacuation, he said.
The Government has appointed the State’s Home Secretary Gaurav Rajput as the nodal officer for the purpose. Besides, relatives of Madhya Pradesh residents stuck in Sudan can also contact the Chief Minister Helpline “181” to register details about their near and dear ones for getting assistance, the official said.
According to the official, the information can also be registered on the CM Helpline Portal - http://www.Cmhelpline.Mp.Gov.In.
At a meeting on Friday last week to review the situation in Sudan, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had told officials to prepare the contingency plan to evacuate Indians from there.