New Delhi: With the ongoing Sudan conflict now in its 11th day, the minister of State for External Affairs V. Muraleedharan confirmed Wednesday that a third group of Indian citizens evacuated under Operation Kaveri had arrived in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The group of 135 Indians traveled early in the morning from Port Sudan aboard an IAF C-130J aircraft.
Third batch comprising 135 Indians from Port Sudan arrived in Jeddah by IAF C-130J aircraft.
Onward journey to India for all who arrived in Jeddah will commence shortly. #OperationKaveri pic.twitter.com/OHhC5G2Pg8
— V. Muraleedharan (@MOS_MEA) April 26, 2023
Operation Kaveri began Monday after External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar announced that the naval vessel INS Sumedha had reached Port Sudan and that two Indian Air Force C-130J were positioned on standby in Jeddah, to bring back Indian nationals stranded in the conflict -struck country.
“Operation Kaveri gets under way to bring back our citizens stranded in Sudan. About 500 Indians have reached Port Sudan. More on their way. Our ships and aircraft are set to bring them back home. Committed to assisting all our brethren in Sudan,” S. Jaishankar had tweeted.
The first batch of evacuations under Operation Kaveri began Tuesday after the INS Sumedha left Port Sudan with 278 Indians onboard. Late Tuesday evening, Muraleedharan received the second batch of 121 evacuated Indian citizens after the first IAF C-130J from Sudan reached Jeddah airport.
The Indian navy’s INS Teg also joined the operation Tuesday, arriving at Port Sudan to further assist the evacuation process.
Since the commencement of the operation, over 500 Indians have been rescued from Sudan.
Apart from receiving the evacuated citizens, Muraleedharan also inspected the transit facility at the International Indian School Jeddah as well as the provisions that will be provided to the evacuees before their return to India, including mattresses, meals, medical provisions, Wi-Fi as well as a 24/7 control room.
According to reports, more than 3,000 Indians are stranded in Sudan’s capital Khartoum —roughly 800 kms from Port Sudan — as well as in Darfur district.
Also read: 3 Indians among 66 foreign nationals evacuated by Saudi Arabia from violence-hit Sudan
Operation named after River Kaveri
Operation Kaveri was named after the Kaveri River that flows through Karnataka and Tamil Nadu and is worshipped as the Goddess Kaveriamma (Mother Kaveri) by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to signify “a mother who will ensure she will bring her children back to safety,” a top government source told news agency ANI.
Apart from Operation Kaveri, some other Indian rescue and relief operations conducted last year include Operation Ganga, to rescue roughly 20,000 Indians from Ukraine after Russia’s invasion; and Operation Dost to send relief material to an earthquake-hit Turkey and Syria, among others.
‘Huge biological risk’
The Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) had Monday agreed to a 72-hour ceasefire, brokered by the US and Saudi Arabia, following 48 hours of negotiations. However, fighting arose between the groups late Tuesday, according to reports, with gunfire and fighter jets heard and has continued, now into its 11th consecutive day.
The World Health Organization also warned of a ‘huge biological risk’ after RSF fighters seized the National Public Health Laboratory in the capital. According to American news agency CNN, the lab contains samples of diseases and other biological material, which can be hazardous in case of an outbreak.
The conflict has already led to at least 459 deaths with roughly 4,072 people injured, according to WHO.
(Edited by Zinnia Ray Chaudhuri)
Also read: Amid fighting in Sudan, US embassy suspends operations, evacuates staff from Khartoum