Operation Kaveri: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Monday informed that the government has launched 'Operation Kaveri' to bring back stranded Indians from violence-hit Sudan.
Taking to Twitter, Jaishankar said, "Operation Kaveri is underway to bring back our citizens stranded in Sudan. About 500 Indians have reached Port Sudan while more are on their way. Our ships and aircraft are set to bring them back home. We are committed to assisting all our brethren in Sudan."
As India launched Operation Kaveri to bring back its citizens from the violence-hit country, several Indians have already been evacuated in ops led by UAE and France.
France has evacuated some Indians along with citizens of 27 other countries as part of its evacuation mission.
The French embassy in New Delhi said on Monday (today) that 388 people from 28 countries, including India, were evacuated.
"French evacuation operations are underway. Last night, two military flight rotations evacuated 388 people of 28 countries, including Indian nationals," it tweeted.
The number of Indians evacuated by France is not immediately known.
On Sunday, Saudi Arabia said it has evacuated from Sudan 66 citizens from "brotherly and friendly" foreign countries that included a few Indian nationals.
People familiar with the matter said in New Delhi that Saudi Arabia evacuated three Indians, who were part of the crew of a Saudi flight and stuck in Sudanese capital Khartoum.
Why Sudan is witnessing violence?
Sudan has been witnessing deadly fighting between the country's army and a paramilitary group for the last 11 days that has reportedly left around 400 people dead.
India has already positioned two heavy-lift military transport aircraft in the Saudi Arabian city of Jeddah and a naval ship at a key port in violence-hit Sudan as part of its contingency plans to evacuate the stranded Indians from that country.
The government on Friday said it was focusing on the safety of over 3,000 Indian citizens presently located throughout Sudan.
(With inputs from PTI)
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