New Delhi: India has pulled out nearly 1,100 of its nationals to safety from violence-hit Sudan, via Indian Naval ships and IAF aircraft, under Operation Kaveri so far.
A fourth Indian Air Force C-130J aircraft arrived in Jeddah with 128 Indians, while INS Teg departed from Port of Sudan with 297 passengers last night, comprising the fifth batch of Indians.
Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan, who is stationed at Jeddah to oversee the rescue operations, in tweets said:
“Efforts are on to ensure that all Indians, who arrived in Jeddah will be sent to India at the earliest.”
The MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi tweeted on the latest developments:
“The 4th IAF C-130J flight takes off from Port Sudan for Jeddah with 128 passengers.
This is the sixth batch of Indians to be evacuated from Sudan under #OperationKaveri, taking the total to nearly 1100 persons.”
Meanwhile, MoS Muraleedharan also received the family of Albert Augestine, an Indian national who died in Khartoum after being hit by a stray bullet.
“Received family of Albert Augestine, an Indian who died in Sudan at Jeddah by IAF C130 J aircraft. Arranged tickets immediately for the family to reach Kochi.
“Assured of all possible assistance to the family,” he tweeted.
A third IAF C-130J that left Port Sudan with 136 Indians arrived in Jeddah.
Muraleedharan in a tweet said: “#OperationKaveri will continue till we rescue all Indians who want to come back home.”
On Tuesday evening, the first batch of 278 Indians left Sudan Port for Jeddah on board INS Sumedha, while two other batches, of 121 and 135 Indians, were flown to Jeddah on board two IAF C-130J aircraft later in the night.
MoS Muraleedharan has been stationed in Jeddah where a control room has been set up to oversee the safe evacuation of Indian nationals from Sudan.
More sorties are to follow to evacuate the over 3,000 Indians who were in Sudan when the fighting broke out between the army and the paramilitary.
