New Delhi May 5: “Operation Kaveri”, India’s resuce operation to bring home its citizens trapped in the war-torn Africa country of Sudan, came to a close.
Accoridng to sources, the Indian armed forces have brought home all citizens who wished to leave Sudan. The total number of people evacuated by the Indian naval and air forces stand at 3,862.
Minister of External Affairs S Jaishankar on Friday morning confirmed the arrival of the final C130 aircraft with 47 evacuees on board. He congratulated the valor and commitment of all personnel involved in the succesful completion of the mission.
“Applaud the spirit, perseverance and courage of all those involved in #OperationKaveri. Our Embassy in Khartoum showed exceptional dedication in this difficult time. Efforts by #TeamIndia stationed in Saudi Arabia and MEA Rapid Response Cell coordinating in India were commendable,” the tweet read.
Nine days have passed since the Government of India launched “Operation Kaveri” to evacuate stranded Indians using 5 Indian Naval Ships and 17 Indian Air Force aircraft.
The two warring factions in Sudan, the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) agreed to a seven-day ceasefire, according to a statement of the foreign ministry of South Sudan on Tuesday, reported CNN.
MEA Jaishankar’s tweet further said, “Moving passengers to Port Sudan from various locations across the country in precarious security circumstances was a complex exercise. Via 17 Indian Airforce flights and 5 Indian Navy Ship sorties, our people were moved from Port Sudan to safety in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. 86 nationals were evacuated through the countries bordering Sudan. The flight from Wadi Sayyidna which was executed at great risk also deserves recognition. From Jeddah, air force and commercial flights have brought people home. We are grateful to Saudi Arabia for hosting them and facilitating this process. Also appreciate the support of Chad, Egypt, France, South Sudan, UAE, UK, USA and UN. Recognize the contribution of my colleague, V Muraleesharan, whose presence on the ground was a source of strength and reassurance.”
