India has rescued 528 citizens from Sudan Port to the Saudi Arabian city of Jeddah. The Indians recounted the ordeal they endured in the crisis-stricken nation upon their arrival.
Within 24 hours of the announcement of a nationwide 72-hour ceasefire between the Sudan Army and Rapid Support Forces, India launched ‘Operation Kaveri’ to rescue its citizens isolated in war-ravaged Sudan.
It has rescued 528 Indians from Sudan Port to the Saudi Arabian city of Jeddah. The Indians recounted the ordeal they endured in the crisis-stricken nation upon their arrival.
Last week, fighting broke out in Sudan between the army and a potent militia, the Rapid Support Force (RSF), as the country transitions from a military dictatorship to a civilian democracy and the RSF is subsumed by the army.
An Indian who arrived in Jeddah aboard the INS Sumedha reported: “The RSF personnel approached our company. At 9:00 a.m. on Monday, they entered our business and began firing and plundering. We were held captive for over eight hours, and we were robbed at gunpoint. They destroyed everything, including files, and seized our mobile devices and laptops. I was only able to secure my phone by concealing it behind a window air conditioner. I contacted the embassy next. Due to the ongoing bombardment, the embassy was unable to do much. They urged us to remain secure. In the evening, we called the embassy again to inform them that food items were unavailable.
“When we were permitted to leave, we sought refuge in a village. Then we relocated to another village and contacted the embassy once more. We informed them that our company has diesel on hand; all they need to do is organise some vehicles so that everyone can be evacuated. In the first group, six vehicles carrying 50 passengers each arrived. In Port Sudan City, an Indian was in charge of our lodging and meals. The Indian Navy then arrived and evacuated us from the area. He stated, “We are not carrying anything.”
“The situation in Sudan is extremely tenu. Every day, the armed conflict escalates. The firing was occurring close to my residence. Everything is being taken care of, and we’ve been evacuated to Jeddah,” he continued.
Another Indian stated, “We had been without food for two days.”
India has dispatched two C-130J transport aircraft from the Indian Air Force and two warships, INS Sumedha and INS Teg, to return its citizens detained in Sudan. V Muraleedharan, Minister of State for External Affairs, was in Jeddah to coordinate rescue efforts.
According to reports, over 3,000 Indian citizens are stranded in Sudan. According to United Nations agencies, 459 people have died and over 4,000 have been injured.