New Delhi, May 5 (IANS): The Indian government has evacuated as many as 3,862 Indian citizens from war-torn Sudan till date under Operation Kaveri, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar said on Friday.
In a lengthy tweet, Jaishankar said that early on Friday morning, an Indian Air Force plane brought 47 passengers to India from the troubled African nation, adding that with this, 3,862 persons have been evacuated from there.
There is an indication that the rescue operation might be coming to a close, as the Indian embassy in Saudi Arabian capital Riyadh tweeted: "Today, we closed down the transit facility created at the International Indian School Jeddah @IndianPage for Sudan evacuees during #OperationKaveri. The facility provided comfort to more than 3,500 evacuees and served as the nerve centre for planning their onwards movement to India."
Meanwhile Jaishankar tweeted: "An Indian Air Force C130 J flight carrying 47 passengers has landed in India. With this arrival, 3862 persons have been moved out of Sudan through #OperationKaveri... Moving passengers to Port Sudan from various locations across the country in precarious security circumstances was a complex exercise".
He said that with the help of 17 Indian Air Force flights and five Indian Navy ship sorties, Indian citizens were moved from Port Sudan to Saudi Arabian city of Jeddah. In addition to this, 86 nationals were evacuated through countries bordering Sudan, Jaishankar added.
"The flight from Wadi Sayyidna which was executed at great risk also deserves recognition. From Jeddah, airforce and commercial flights have brought people home. We are grateful to Saudi Arabia for hosting them and facilitating this process," he added.
The Minister also appreciated the support of several nations like Chad, Egypt, France, South Sudan, the UAE, the UK, the US and also the United Nations.
Jaishankar also appreciated the contribution of his ministry colleagues, saying that their presence on the ground "was a source of strength and reassurance".
"Applaud the spirit, perseverance and courage of all those involved in #OperationKaveri. Our Embassy in Khartoum showed exceptional dedication in this difficult time. Efforts by #TeamIndia stationed in Saudi Arabia and MEA Rapid Response Cell coordinating in India were commendable," he tweeted further.