As the evacuation of Indians from battle-torn Sudan continues, 754 more Indians reached India today in two batches. A C-17 Globemaster aircraft of the Indian Air Force carrying 392 passengers evacuated from Sudan landed today in Delhi, while 362 Indians reached Bengaluru in another C-17 plane.
Taking to his Twitter handle, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar wrote, “#OperationKaveri update. Another C-17 flight carrying 392 passengers reaches New Delhi.”
#OperationKaveri update.
— Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) April 28, 2023
Another C-17 flight carrying 392 passengers reaches New Delhi. pic.twitter.com/SCYUj3GCgz
The Indian Air Force C17 Globemaster took off from Jeddah airport earlier today (local time) under the supervision of MoS V Muraleedharan, who saw them off at Jeddah.
“Glad to see happy and energetic faces of 392 of our nationals returning to Delhi from Jeddah on IAF C17 Globemaster after evacuation from Sudan. Saw them off at the aircraft. They will be with their beloved ones in India soon,” the MoS tweeted.
Meanwhile, another batch of 362 Indian evacuees from Sudan took a flight for Bengaluru from Jeddah on Friday, in the presence of Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan under ongoing Operation Kaveri.
“Bon voyage! Delighted to see off 362 Indians evacuated from Sudan on a flight bound for Bengaluru from Jeddah. Good number of these are from Hakki Pikki tribe,” tweeted Muraleedharan.
Updating about the same, Jaishankar tweeted today, “India welcomes back 362 Indians as another #OperationKaveri flight touches down in Bengaluru.”
India welcomes back 362 Indians as another #OperationKaveri flight touches down in Bengaluru. pic.twitter.com/NzuNU5unmk
— Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) April 28, 2023
It is notable that V Muraleedharan is stationed in Jeddah in Saudi Arabia to oversee the evacuation of Indians from Sudan via Saudi Arabis. Indians, and other foreign nationals, as being taken from Port Suran to Jeddah on ships and planes, from where they are being airlifted to their home countries.
Muraleedharan also informed that the tenth batch of 326 Indian evacuees from Sudan reached Jeddah by INS Tarkash.
Arindam Bagchi, the spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs, further informed that a C-130J Super Hercules aircraft of the IAF carrying 11th batch of 135 Indians took off from Port Sudan for Jeddah.
Another IAF C-130J flight takes off from Port Sudan with 135 passengers onboard.
— Arindam Bagchi (@MEAIndia) April 28, 2023
This is the 11th batch of stranded Indians heading to Jeddah.#OperationKaveri. pic.twitter.com/wOSgnZQMSD
The Indians were evacuated from Port Sudan to Jeddah after the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) agreed to extend their ceasefire amid ongoing violence in the capital Khartoum and the western Darfur region. Indians are being taken from Port to Jeddah on Navy ships and C-130J planes, from where they are being flown to India on C17 jet planes. However, the finest batch was evacuated from Sudan by Saudi Arabia on its navy ships.
This comes after the army said it would extend the ceasefire “for an additional 72 hours” following mediation efforts by Saudi Arabia and the United States in the final hours of the repeatedly broken three-day truce, due to end at midnight (22:00 GMT) on Thursday.
The RSF also said it approved the extended truce, adding that the proposal came from two diplomatic groupings: the US, Saudi Arabia, Norway, the United Kingdom and the United Arab Emirates.
On Thursday, warplanes patrolled over the capital’s northern suburbs as fighters on the ground exchanged artillery and heavy machine-gun fire.
The previous ceasefire has not stopped the fighting but created enough of a lull for tens of thousands of Sudanese, as well as, foreign nationals to leave for safer areas.
