Minister V Muraleedharan oversees evacuation efforts in Jeddah amidst Sudan crisis
According to news agency ANI, an Indian national who returned from Sudan expressed gratitude towards the Indian government and Prime Minister Modi for their support. "Indian govt supported us a lot. It's a big thing that we reached here safely as it was very dangerous. I thank PM Modi and Indian Govt," the person said.
Indian nationals chanted "Bharat Mata Ki Jai, Indian Army Zindabad, PM Narendra Modi Zindabad" as they arrived in Delhi from conflict-torn Sudan.
Many Indian nationals, including those who went to Sudan for work or other reasons, found themselves stranded as the country was engulfed in conflict. However, the Indian government quickly sprang into action, launching "Operation Kaveri," a rescue mission to evacuate these citizens from Sudan. Surender Singh Yadav, an Indian national who returned from Sudan, expressed his gratitude to the Indian embassy and government, saying that they had been a big help.
The situation in Sudan has been tense, with the Sudanese Armed Forces and paramilitary groups engaged in a conflict. However, after mediation efforts by the United States and Saudi Arabia, the warring factions agreed to a 72-hour ceasefire, which came into effect on Monday. During this time, countries have been working to evacuate their citizens from the country.
India's evacuation mission has been centered around Jeddah, where a travel office has been set up. All Indian citizens have been taken to the coastal city of Jeddah after leaving Sudan. V Muraleedharan, Minister of State for External Affairs, is overseeing the evacuation effort on the ground in Jeddah.
What Is Sudan Crisis?
The ongoing violence in Sudan is a result of a power struggle between two factions of the country's military regime. The conflict has resulted in the deaths of over 250 people and left around 2,600 others injured in Khartoum and other cities. The regular army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), the main paramilitary force, are involved in the conflict, which has raised the possibility of a civil war breaking out across the country.
Since the 2021 coup, Sudan has been under the control of a council of generals, with two military leaders at the center of the current dispute. Gen Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, who is effectively the country's president and head of the armed forces, and his deputy, Gen Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, also known as Hemedti, who leads the RSF paramilitary group, have differing views on the country's future direction, particularly regarding the proposed shift toward civilian rule. Their disagreement has led to the current power struggle, resulting in the violence and instability in the country.
