Union Minister V Muraleedharan receives Indians evacuated from Sudan in Saudi Arabia's Jeddah
Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan in an exclusive interview to NDTV has given a detailed account of India's massive 'Operation Kaveri' to evacuate stranded citizens from conflict-hit Sudan.
With the airport in Sudan's capital Khartoum and neighbouring areas heavily contested between the army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), and planes getting damaged on Day 1 of the street battles, flying out Indians from that airport was not feasible.
"Many of them told me they were pulled out from the jaws of death and reached safe centres in Port Sudan, from where they were taken to Jeddah in Saudi Arabia," Mr Muraleedharan told NDTV from Jeddah, when asked about the risks the Indians faced while taking the long land route from Khartoum to Port Sudan.
"The first batch of Indians started travelling even before the first ceasefire was announced. Even during the ceasefire there was sporadic gunfire at many parts. Despite these threats, the Indian embassy took our people from Khartoum to Port Sudan," said the Union Minister who is among the key officials coordinating the evacuation effort.
The fighting has pitted forces loyal to Sudan army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan against those of his former deputy Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, who commands the RSF. The RSF emerged from the Janjaweed militia that then-president Omar al-Bashir unleashed in the Darfur region two decades ago, leading to war crimes charges against Bashir and others.
Mr Muraleedharan declined to give details about how exactly India communicated with the warring groups in Sudan to ensure safe passage for Indians. The Union Minister, however, said India and Sudan have strong ties, indicating this factor may have played a role.
"I can definitely tell you India shares a very strong development partnership with Sudan. So both countries and Indians who lives in Sudan were in touch," Mr Muraleedharan told NDTV.
Mr Muraleedharan said Saudi Arabia has been extremely helpful in the evacuation effort.
"A control room was set up in Jeddah. Indian Air Force planes are parked in King Abdullah Air Base in Jeddah. They have been operating from there for the past four days. Of course the Saudi authorities have been coordinating with us well. They are very warm, proving care and refreshments and helping with immigration processes," Mr Muraleedharan told NDTV.
India today brought home 754 more people from Jeddah; 392 landed in Delhi in a C-17 heavy-lift aircraft of the Indian Air Force and 362 were flown to Bengaluru.
The total number of Indians brought home now stands at 1,360, news agency PTI reported.