India has started Operation Kaveri to evacuate its nationals stranded in Sudan as violent clashes between the country’s army and paramilitary force continues, Minister of External Affairs S. Jaishankar announced on Monday. Around 3,000 Indians are reportedly stuck across Sudan.
“Operation Kaveri gets under way to bring back our citizens stranded in Sudan. About 500 Indians have reached Port Sudan. More on their way. Our ships and aircraft are set to bring them back home. Committed to assist all our brethren in Sudan,” Mr. Jaishankar said in a tweet.
Earlier, India had stationed two C-130J heavy-lift aircraft in Jeddah and sent INS Sumedha in Port Said for the operation. Indians in Sudan have reported attacks on their homes as well as a shortage of food, water, and electricity amid total breakdown of essential services.
At the heart of the intense conflict in Sudan are its army – the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF); and Rapid Support Forces paramilitary group (RSF). The two had jointly led a coup in October 2021, stopping the country’s transition to democracy.
The military agreed to step back from politics after negotiations with pro-democracy groups in December 2022. However, the pact did not address critical issues like security sector reform.
Proposed reforms to the security sector included bringing the 1,00,000-strong paramilitary force under the control of the army. The army wanted the transition to be done in two years, but RSF proposed a slower transition over ten years. The disagreement transformed into a countrywide armed conflict on April 15, which has since left around 400 people dead and many more injured. Hundreds of Indians were left stranded at Khartoum airport who eventually took shelter in nearby hotels.
The fighting also enveloped the Indian embassy in Khartoum, forcing diplomats to work remotely while maintaining contact with the members of the Indian community.
On April 22, Saudi Arabian military forces airlifted a few Indian nationals along with citizens of other countries. India has maintained contact with Saudi Arabia, the UAE, the U.S., the U.K., and Egypt over the evolving situation on the ground in Sudan.
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The Hindu’s Daily News Quiz
What is the traditional profession of the Hakki Pikki tribe of Karnataka, 300 of whose members reside in conflict-hit country Sudan?
- Shallow water fishing
- Bird catching
- Bamboo cultivation
- Agriculture
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Published - April 25, 2023 06:25 pm IST
