4 thousand Indians stranded in Sudan, evacuation of people is a big challenge, how difficult is the rescue?
The Sudanese capital has been rocked by bombings and heavy shelling. Fighting continues in Sudan between forces loyal to rival generals. The Sudanese army and a rival paramilitary force agreed to a 24-hour cease-fire the previous day, but have not followed through. The latest situation in Sudan has also created difficulties for India. The security crisis of more than three thousand Indians has deepened in this fight. Worried relatives of several Indians stranded there due to fierce fighting between the army and paramilitary forces are desperately waiting for any information about their relatives. Along with this, the worried relatives have appealed to the government to make arrangements to evacuate the people trapped in the crisis-hit African country.
The Indian Embassy in Sudan’s capital Khartoum is also trapped in the area of heavy fighting. In such a situation, the officers and staff of the embassy have to work from home. Due to corrosion, the means of electricity and communication are also limited. At the same time, it is also difficult for the Indians to execute the airlift operation. Fighting in Sudan began on April 15 and so far at least 185 people, including one Indian, have been reported killed, while over 1,800 have been injured. Government sources said in New Delhi that India is coordinating with various countries to ensure the safety of Indian nationals in Sudan. These countries include America, Britain and Saudi Arabia.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has spoken to his counterparts in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates on the situation in Sudan and has assured them of practical support for the security of Indians in that country. Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) are looting and taking away people’s cars. There are about 4,000 Indians in Sudan, of whom about 1,200 were settled in Sudan and have been there for about 150 years. Other NRIs are working as professionals in Sudan, while some Indians are working in UN missions and other international organizations.
