Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has sought Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s intervention to evacuate Indians caught in the civil strife in Sudan.
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In a letter to Mr. Modi, Mr. Vijayan said many health professionals and skilled workers stranded in the African nation were from Kerala.
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Smoke fills the sky in Khartoum, Sudan, near Doha International Hospital on April 21, 2023. The Muslim Eid ul-Fitr holiday, typically filled with prayer, celebration and feasting — was a somber one in Sudan, as gunshots rang out across the capital of Khartoum and heavy smoke billowed over the skyline. | Photo Credit: AP
Mr. Vijayan said the distressed citizens called and petitioned the Kerala government for help. The conflict has cut off their access to potable water, power, food, medicines and other basic amenities.
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Mr. Vijayan said the evacuation of Indian citizens via Khartoum airport was difficult since air strikes had rendered the facility non-operational.
Moreover, several Indians, including Keralites, were caught in their job places in far-flung localities in Sudan. Mr. Vijayan requested Mr. Modi to repatriate them urgently.
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He lauded Mr. Modi for the efforts taken by the Union Ministry of External Affairs to ensure the security of Indians in Sudan.