Sudan crisis: India launches 'Operation Kaveri' to evacuate over 500 citizens stranded

India on Monday launched Operation Kaveri to evacuate Indians trapped in the conflict-torn Sudan where fighting has broken out between the rebel paramilitary groups and the Sudanese military. Over 500 Indians have arrived at the Port of Sudan, according to Union Minister for External Affairs S. Jaishankar, who also tweeted two images of Indians waiting there.

Taking to Twitter, he wrote: “Operation Kaveri gets underway 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 assist all our brethren in Sudan."

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India started the evacuation of its residents who were caught up in the violence on April 23 by sending two heavy-lift planes to Saudi Arabia and a ship to the coast of Sudan, according to the ministry of external affairs.

On Sunday, India declared that INS Sumedha had arrived at Port Sudan and that Air Force C-130Js were on standby in Jeddah to evacuate its citizens. 

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More than 150 people from various nations reached Saudi Arabia on Saturday, in the first announced evacuation of civilians. There were citizens from 12 other nations there in addition to Saudi Arabia, including India. The three Indians who were evacuated by Saudi Arabia were crew members of the Saudi plane that had been fired upon as violence broke out last week on the ground.

Earlier, France evacuated 388 people from 28 countries, including Indian nationals.

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