Operation Kaveri: Another batch of 392 Indians returns home

New Delhi: A C-17 heavy-lift aircraft of the Indian Air Force on Friday brought back home 392 people as part of the government’s mission to evacuate stranded Indians from strife-torn Sudan.

It is the third batch of Indians to be brought back home from Saudi Arabian city of Jeddah where India has set up a transit camp for the evacuees.

”Another C-17 flight carrying 392 passengers reaches New Delhi,” External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar tweeted.

The first batch of 360 evacuees were brought to New Delhi in a commercial plane on Wednesday.

The second batch of 246 Indian evacuees arrived in Mumbai in a C17 Globemaster aircraft the next day.

The total number of Indians who were brought back home now stands at 998, according to official data.

Under Operation Kaveri, India has been taking its citizens in buses from conflict zones of Khartoum and other troubled areas to Port Sudan from where they are being taken to the Saudi Arabian city of Jeddah in Indian Air Force’s heavy-lift transport aircraft and Indian Navy’s ships.

From Jeddah, the Indians are being brought back home in either commercial flight or IAF’s aircraft.

India has set up separate control rooms in Jeddah, Port Sudan and the India embassy in Khartoum has been coordinating with them besides being in touch with the MEA’s headquarters in Delhi.

Sudan has been witnessing deadly fighting between the country’s army and a paramilitary group that has reportedly left around 400 people dead.