India launched a rescue operation– Operation Kaveri– to evacuate its stranded citizens from Sudan. The rescue operation is currently underway and around 500 Indians have reached Port Sudan as of Monday, according to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar.
The evacuation operation was launched a day after the External Affairs Ministry said two C-130s aircraft and the navy ship INS Sumedha are on standby to evacuate Indians from the violence-hit African nation. Around 4,000 Indians are stuck in Sudan, as per official data.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said while addressing the Yuvam Conclave in Kochi: "Due to the civil war in Sudan, many of our people are stuck there. Therefore, we have started Operation Kaveri to bring them safely. It is being overseen by the son of Kerala and the Minister of our government, Muraleedharan".
Why the name Operation Kaveri?
The name for rescue operations in Sudan has been kept Operation Kaveri for the same purpose that Prime Minister Modi chose to name rescue ops in Ukraine as Operation Ganga, news agency ANI reported quoting government sources.
Kaveri is one of the major Indian rivers flowing through Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. People in the region also worship the river as Goddess Kaveriamma.
Commenting on the naming of this operation by the Central government, a top source said: “Rivers reach their destination irrespective of barriers. It’s like a mother who will ensure she will bring her children back to safety”.
More than a year ago, the Narendra Modi-led government evacuated Indians from war-torn Ukraine more than a year back. This rescue operation was dubbed Operation Ganga since the Ganges is not only a massive water resource but is also worshipped in India.
What is happening in Sudan?
Sudan has been facing a conflict between the country’s army and a paramilitary group for the last 10 days, which claimed more than 427 lives including at least 273 civilians and over 3,700 have been wounded.
The warring factions have agreed to a 72-hour ceasefire beginning from today as Western, Arab and Asian nations race to evacuate their nationals from the country. Scores of people including Sudanese and people from neighbouring countries have fled the country in the past few days to Egypt, Chad, and South Sudan.
(With ANI inputs)