Sudan Crisis: 1,100 Indians Rescued Arrive In Jeddah, Says MoS Muraleedharan

Around 1,100 Indians, who were rescued from Sudan, arrived in Saudi Arabian city of Jeddah, Minister of State For External Affairs V Muraleedharan informed.

Around 1,100 Indians, who were rescued from Sudan, arrived in Saudi Arabian city of Jeddah, Minister of State For External Affairs V Muraleedharan informed. ( Image Source :Twitter/ANI )

Around 1,100 Indians, who were rescued from Sudan, arrived in Saudi Arabian city of Jeddah, Minister of State For External Affairs V Muraleedharan informed in a tweet on Thursday.

Received 297 Indians at Jeddah carried by INS Teg. With this second ship and total of six batches, around 1,100 Indians rescued from Sudan have arrived in Jeddah," tweets MoS MEA V Muraleedharan#OperationKaveri pic.twitter.com/17hA1WodKK

— ANI (@ANI) April 27, 2023

An IAF C17 Globemaster aircraft took off from Jeddah airport carrying 246 Indians evacuated from Sudan, Muraleedharan said in another tweet.    

"IAF C17 Globemaster takes off with 246 Indians evacuated from Sudan from Jeddah airport," tweets MoS MEA V Muraleedharan#OperationKaveri pic.twitter.com/BZDDJdD21F

— ANI (@ANI) April 27, 2023

Countries have been evacuating their citizens amid the 72-hour ceasefire that has been agreed upon by the two warring factions in Sudan. India was one of the nations that recently evacuated its citizens as part of Operation Kaveri. As part of the rescue effort, the Air Force recently rescued approximately 250 Indians who were trapped in conflict-torn Sudan. Two IAF C-130 J aircraft were used to evacuate more than 250 people from Port Sudan. On Wednesday, 135 additional Indians who had become stranded in Sudan were rescued.

The Indians who fled Sudan's violence also had a story to tell. They talked about their experience and said that the fight was so bad that it was hard to even get food on a daily basis. One of the Indians evacuated from Sudan told ANI, "The fight was intense. We were struggling for food. The scenario continued for 2-3 days."

Due to fighting between the army and paramilitary forces, Sudan is experiencing violence. Even in the midst of a 72-hour ceasefire, there are reports of violence. Another Indian evacuated said in a separate statement, "The tent of Rapid Support Forces (RSF) was fixated near our company. Early morning at around 9, the forces entered our company. We were looted."

"They kept us hostage for eight hours. They kept riffles at our chest and looted us. Our mobiles were stolen," he told ANI. "We kept in touch with the Embassy and told them to arrange for the buses, as we had diesel. The Indian Navy came and treated us well," the Indian national evacuated from Sudan said.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar announced on Monday that its "Operation Kaveri" to evacuate its citizens from battle-torn Sudan is underway and that approximately 500 Indians had reached Port Sudan as the fighting between the Sudanese Army and paramilitary groups intensified in the capital Khartoum.

Taking to Twitter, S Jaishankar said, "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 assisting all our brethren in Sudan." According to official data, the number of Indians evacuated from Sudan so far stands at around 530, according to the news agency PTI.