Sudan crisis: 231 Indians reach Ahmedabad from Jeddah

As many as 231 Indians, including 208 Gujarat residents, who were evacuated from strife-torn African nation Sudan under the Centre’s ‘Operation Kaveri’, landed at Ahmedabad airport on Tuesday, said a state government official.

Gujarat Minister of State for Home Harsh Sanghavi, who handles Non-Resident Gujarati (NRG) division of the state government, welcomed these Indians at the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport upon their arrival here from Jeddah in Saudi Arabia on a special flight, said the official. These 231 Indians included 208 Gujarat residents, 13 from Punjab and 10 from Rajasthan, the official said.

Under ‘Operation Kaveri’, India has been taking its citizens in buses from the conflict zones of Khartoum and other troubled areas to Port Sudan from where they are being taken to the Saudi Arabian city of Jeddah on Indian Air Force’s heavy-lift transport aircraft and Indian Navy’s ships. From Jeddah, the Indians are being brought back home on either commercial flights 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 Ministry of External Affairs’ 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.