IAF takes charge; C-130J aircraft lands in Port Sudan for evacuation

Amid ongoing conflict, Indian Air Force aircraft have landed in Port Sudan for evacuation operations, the Ministry of External Affairs official spokesperson Arindam Bagchi informed on Tuesday.

Indian Air Force's C-130J aircraft have reached Sudan to evacuate stranded Indians as the process of evacuations continues in the violence-hit North African country.

"#OperationKaveri takes to the skies. IAF C-130J aircraft lands in Port Sudan to undertake evacuation operations," Bagchi tweeted, as he informed about the same.

Earlier today (local time), Indians stranded in Sudan departed from the conflict-torn country in the first phase of 'Operation Kaveri'. The third Saryu-class patrol vessel of the Indian Navy, INS Sumedha with 278 people onboard departed from Port Sudan for Jeddah.

Moreover, Union Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan on Tuesday inspected the transit facility at the International Indian School, Jeddah where Indians evacuated from Sudan will be received & put up briefly before arriving in India.

"Inspected transit facility @IndianPage,Jeddah where Indians evacuated from Sudan will be received & put up briefly before travel to India. It is fully equipped incl with mattresses, provisions, fresh meals,toilets, medical facilities, Wifi. Has 24*7 control room. #OperationKaveri," the MoS wrote on Twitter.

As the fighting between the Sudanese Army and paramilitary groups intensified in the capital Khartoum, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar informed on Monday that its 'Operation Kaveri' to evacuate its citizens from battle-torn Sudan is underway and about 500 Indians had reached Port Sudan.

India has launched "Operation Kaveri" to bring back stranded Indians from the war-torn Sudan.

Meanwhile, Indian Navy's INS Teg on Tuesday joined Operation Kaveri to help boost the ongoing evacuation of Indians stranded in Sudan. The frigate on Tuesday arrived at Port Sudan with additional officials and essential relief supplies for stranded Indians, a senior MEA official said.

"INS Teg joins #OperationKaveri. Arrives at Port Sudan with additional officials and essential relief supplies for stranded Indians," Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) official spokesperson Arindam Bagchi tweeted on Tuesday.

"Will boost ongoing evacuation efforts by Embassy Camp Office at Port Sudan," Bagchi further tweeted.

INS Teg is the fourth Talwar-class frigate constructed for the Indian Navy.

In a recent development, warring factions in Sudan have agreed to a 72-hour ceasefire on Monday after the US and Saudi Arabia mediated the truce while countries are engaged in evacuating their citizens from the country.

Previously agreed ceasefires have broken down, if the new three-day cessation of fighting holds, it could create an opportunity to get much-needed critical resources like food and medical supplies to those in need, reported CNN.