As many as 29 out of the 58 expatriates from Andhra Pradesh currently stuck in violence-hit Sudan are waiting for transit to Jeddah in Saudi Arabia, the AP Non-Resident Telugu Society (APNRTS) said on Wednesday, 26 April.
APNRTS President Medapati Venkat said the 29 expatriates are waiting at Port Sudan on the Red Sea to catch the next available ship or Indian Air Force flight to get to Jeddah.
While 23 more are waiting to reach Port Sudan, two expatriates have already landed in Jeddah, he told PTI.
Three more, holding high-profile positions in the African country, are availing special transport arrangements being made by their employers with the permission of the Indian Embassy.
Related: Hakki Pikki tribals tell South First about their struggles in Sudan
The 4th IAF C-130J flight takes off from Port Sudan for Jeddah with 128 passengers.
This is the sixth batch of Indians to be evacuated from Sudan under #OperationKaveri, taking the total to nearly 1100 persons. pic.twitter.com/lBhEHOiY9o
— Randhir Jaiswal (@MEAIndia) April 26, 2023
Evacuees to reach India on Friday
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) is making arrangements for the 23 expatriates to reach Port Sudan while one more expatriate is availing transport arrangements being made by the employer, APNRTS Chief Executive Hemalatha Rani said.
The government-run society has created a WhatsApp group for all expatriates waiting for evacuation and sharing regular updates, even as its helpline 0863 2340678 and WhatsApp number 8500027678 are also offering assistance.
According to APNRTS, the evacuees are expected to reach India by Friday, 28 April.
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has decided to bring back all the evacuees by bearing their airfares, said Venkat. Once they arrive at Delhi or Mumbai, they will be put on domestic flights to reach the state, he added.
Meanwhile, Andhra Pradesh Bhavan Resident Commissioner Himanshu Shukla is in regular touch with the Indian Embassy in the African country for facilitating the repatriation.
India on Monday, 24 April, launched Operation Kaveri to bring back its nationals from Sudan which has been witnessing fierce fighting following a power struggle between the regular army and a paramilitary force.
The deadly fighting between Sudan’s army and a paramilitary group for the past few days has reportedly left around 400 people dead.
Related: Kerala man who died in Sudan violence was set to come home in May
Security situation complex, volatile
Meanwhile, Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra said in New Delhi that the security situation in Sudan remains very complex and highly volatile and India’s efforts have been to ensure the safety of Indian nationals.
At a media briefing on Thursday, 27 April, he said India has been in touch with all the sides concerned in Sudan with a focus on taking out Indians from the conflict zones.
“Our focus has been to take out the Indians from the conflict zones to safer areas as soon as possible and then to bring them back home,” the foreign secretary said.
Referring to India’s evacuation mission ‘Operation Kaveri’, he said 360 Indians have been brought back home and another batch of 246 is reaching India soon.
At present, he said around 320 Indians are in Port Sudan and they are being taken to the Saudi Arabian city of Jeddah.
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