'A Daring Rescue': Govt Evacuates 10th Batch of Indians from Sudan Under Op Kaveri

India evacuated the tenth batch of its nationals from Port Sudan and brought them to the Saudi city of Jeddah, the Ministry of Affairs External (MEA) said on Friday as New Delhi continued Operation Kaveri in the strife-torn African nation.

Under this rescue mission, India is taking out evacuees from Sudan amid the ongoing conflict between the regular army and a paramilitary force.

“#OperationKaveri progresses further. 10th batch of evacuees with 135 passengers onboard IAF C-130J flight departs Port Sudan for Jeddah,” MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi tweeted.

“INS Tarkash bolsters #OperationKaveri efforts! 9th batch of Indians leaves Port Sudan for Jeddah with 326 passengers onboard,” Bagchi said in an earlier tweet.

India has set up a transit facility at Jeddah and Minister of State for External Affairs (MoS) V Muraleedharan is overseeing the evacuation mission from the Saudi Arabian city.

Taking to Twitter, Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan on Friday warmly welcomed family members of Indian Embassy Officials who were part of the eighth batch of 121 rescued Indians.

“A daring rescue! 8th batch of 121 Indians arrived at Jeddah by IAF C 130 J from Wadi Seidna, Sudan. This evacuation was more complex as the location is in vicinity of Khartoum. Family members of our Embassy Officials were also part of this group. Warm welcome,” he tweeted.

Earlier on Thursday, Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra addressed a special briefing on the modalities of Operation Kaveri.

While speaking to reporters, the Foreign Secretary said that the Centre estimates that approximately 3500 Indian nationals and about 1000 odd PIOs are in Sudan.

Giving an update on India’s rescue plan, Kwatra said the government’s focus has been to advise and assist the stranded Indian nationals.

“Furthermore, as soon as the conflict broke out, the Ministry of External Affairs set up a 24/7 control room, up on the third floor of this building. That control room continues to run 24/7 and will continue to do so, till we have overcome the current situation and resolved it fully,” he added.

As per official numbers, India has so moved out nearly 2000 people from the conflict zone. However, the Foreign Secretary added that it would not be correct for him to give specificity to these numbers, because of the logistical challenges amid conflict.

On Wednesday night the first group of evacuees arrived in New Delhi from Jeddah to the welcome of External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar.

Kwatra informed that minister Jaishankar has reached out to Foreign Ministers of other key partners whose nationals were also stuck in Sudan. “These included Foreign Ministers of the U.S., UAE, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and last night, Dr. Jaishankar also had a conversation with the UK Foreign Minister,” he added.

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