India launches Operation Kaveri for Indians stranded in Sudan

NewsGate Press Network 

India has launched Operation Kaveri to bring back its stranded nationals in Sudan where civil war situation between two rivals factions continues to be unabated.

On Monday the 24^th of April 2023, the External Affairs minister Dr S Jaishankar  tweeted a message for evacuations of Indians from Sudan.

According to information available with the government sources, there are about 3,000 Indians held-up in Sudan majorly in capital Khartoum and in distant provinces like Darfur ever since the fierce fighting broke out between two the military leaders.

On Monday about 500 Indians have reached Port Sudan.

“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 assist all our brethren in Sudan,” Mr. Jaishankar said in an announcement.

India had earlier stationed two C-130J heavy-lift aircraft in Jeddah and sent INS Sumedha in Port Said for the operation.

The evacuation acquired urgency in view of the total breakdown of the essential services in Sudan where shortage of food, water and electricity had brought to a standstill.

In a message, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that the operation to evacuate Indians is being supervised by Minister of State for External Affairs V. Muraleedharan. “Due to the civil war in Sudan, many of our people are stuck there. Therefore, we have started Operation Kaveri to bring them safely. It’s being overseen by the son of Kerala and the Minister of our govt, Shri Muraleedharan,” PM Modi said.

The political crisis in Sudan turned into a countrywide armed conflict on April 15 after disagreement between the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) over the Security Sector Reform (SSR) spiralled into an armed confrontation between the commanders of the two wings.

The conflict left hundreds of Indians stranded in the airport in Khartoum who subsequently took shelter in nearby hotels as fighting intensified.