India successfully evacuated nearly 2,400 of its nationals from Sudan, with over 700 arriving in India in two batches today, even as a 13th batch of 300 rescued Indians left Port Sudan for Jeddah via ship.
Meanwhile, the Indian Air Force in a daring rescue evacuated 121 Indians, including the family members of the Indian Embassy officials, from an airport near Khartoum.
Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Arindam Bagchi in a late night tweet said:
“Nearly 2400 Indians evacuated!
INS Sumedha departs from Port Sudan with 300 passengers onboard for Jeddah.
13th batch of Indians evacuated under Operation Kaveri.”
In an earlier tweet, he said that an IAF C-130J took off from Port Sudan with 135 passengers for Jeddah, marking the12th batch of stranded Indians evacuated.
Earlier, Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan, who is stationed in Jeddah where India has set up a control room, received the 11th batch of 135 Indians who arrived on board an IAF C-130J from Port Sudan.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, in tweets announced that two batches of Indians arrived in India – one batch of 362 Indians touched down in Bengaluru, while another C-17 flight carrying 392 passengers reached New Delhi.
Earlier, INS Tarkash, the third Naval ship deployed for rescue operations, reached Jeddah with 326 Indian evacuees from Sudan. This comprised the 10th batch.
The 9th batch comprised 135 Indians who arrived in Jeddah on board an IAF C 130 J.
Meanwhile, the IAF carried out a daring night time sortie on late Thursday night to rescue 121 Indians from a small airstrip at Wadi Seidna, which is located 40 km North of Khartoum.
MoS V Muraleedharan, in a tweet said:
“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.”
