As situation is fast deteriorating in war-torn Yemen, the Indian Government is trying to hasten rescue efforts to bring out Indian nationals from there. It has so far evacuated 1,500 Indians. The remaining 2,000 Indians are likely to be rescued in the next few days and brought home by air and sea route.
Meanwhile, the Indian Navy warship INS Mumbai reached Aden early Saturday but could not enter harbour due to heavy fighting and shelling all round. The stranded Indians were now in the process of getting shifted from the shore to the ship through small boats and ferries.
Minister of State for External Affairs VK Singh, who was overseeing the evacuation operation named Rahat from Djibouti, had also gone to Sana’a, the largest Yemeni city from where two Air India planes were bringing our Indians.
As regards rescue effort by INS Mumbai, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said in a tweet: “There is heavy shelling in Aden. The ship is anchored 5 km-6 km off the coast. Indian nationals are being taken by boat to board the ship there.”
The rescue effort was on in war-like conditions in Aden to bring out second batch of Indians from there. The warship placed itself just outside Aden harbour due to heavy firing and Indian authorities have hired small crafts to ferry batches of 30-35 people at one time from the port to INS Mumbai, Navy officials said here on Saturday.
Official sources said the evacuation operation was going on notwithstanding the deteriorating situation across Yemen. “We hope to complete the evacuation operation in the next few days,” they said. Though security situation was becoming more precarious in Sana’a due to increasing hold of al-Qaeda, India has been given slots to carry out air sorties to take out its citizens from the city.
Another Indian Navy ship INS Tarkash besides two merchant vessels Kavaratti and Corals had also reached Aden and the other port town of Al-Hudaydah for evacuation, they said adding 1,350 Indian nationals were rescued so far. External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin said over 300 Indians were brought back from Sana’a and reached Djibouti en route to India. “Two Air India flights out of Sana’a land in Djibouti today(Saturday) with 325 on board,” he tweeted.
Sources said situation in Sana’a was serious as militants have stepped up their offensive and particularly due to movement of heavy artilleries and missiles during nights.