Sudan Unrest: What is India’s plan to evacuate citizens? Which nations have rescued its nationals?

The crisis in Sudan continues to escalate. More than 400 people have died and 3,500 have been injured in the fighting between the army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) over control of power. Countries across the world, including India, are scrambling to evacuate their citizens stranded in Sudan.

A growing number of nations have evacuated diplomats and citizens from the Sudanese capital Khartoum, which is where the fighting is most fierce. India has 3,000 of its citizens stuck in Sudan and has a robust plan in place.

We take a look at how the Indian government is going forward with the rescue operation and what other nations have done so far amid the Sudan unrest.

Also read: Sudan conflict: The fight between rival generals for the control of the nation, explained

India’s Plan of Action for Sudan

The Indian government has two Indian Air Force (IAF) planes and a navy ship on standby to evacuate thousands of its nationals, many from Karnataka’s Hakka Pikki tribe, from Sudan.

Two C-130J aircraft of the Indian Air Force are on standby in Saudi Arabia’s Jeddah as part of preparations for the evacuation of Indians from Sudan, according to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).

The Indian government is also exploring options for land routes since the airport at Khartoum is not functional. These routes will be used to move those stranded to safer zones, which is the priority for the Centre, according to a report by NDTV.

Indian Navy’s patrol vessel INS Sumedha has also reached Port Sudan.

The plans have come into place after Prime Minister Narendra Modi asked officials to prepare a contingency plan to evacuate Indians during a high-level meeting held Friday.

“As part of our preparations, and in order to move swiftly, the Government of India is pursuing multiple options. Two Indian Air Force C-130J are currently positioned on standby in Jeddah. And, INS Sumedha has reached Port Sudan,” the MEA said in a statement on Sunday.

The government is making “all-out efforts” to ensure the safety and security of its citizens in Sudan. “We are closely monitoring the complex and evolving security situation in Sudan. We are also coordinating closely with various partners for the safe movement of those Indians who are stranded in Sudan and would like to be evacuated,” the ministry said.

According to the MEA, the embassy is in regular touch with those stranded and is advising them “on the viability of safe movement and the need to avoid unnecessary risk”. “It is also coordinating all possible assistance including possible exit from Khartoum city as and when the security situation permits safe movement,” it added.

The MEA is also regularly in touch with authorities from Sudan, the United Nations, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and the United States among others.

However, the Indian government is being cautious. “Contingency plans are in place but any movement on the ground would depend on the security situation, which continues to be volatile with reports of fierce fighting at various locations in Khartoum. Sudanese airspace currently remains closed for all foreign aircraft. The overland movement also has risks and logistical challenges,” the MEA said.

As of now, India has not evacuated any of its nationals. Indian embassy personnel are staying put to be able to coordinate and assist in the operation, according to sources.

Also read: Indians stuck in violence-hit Sudan: How safe are they?

US diplomats evacuated, embassy ops suspended

The US has begun rescue ops and the first to be evacuated have been US government personnel following orders by President Joe Biden.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement that all US personnel and their families had been evacuated and that operations at the US embassy in Khartoum have been “temporarily suspended.”

A group of just over 100 special operations forces were involved in the extraction. The operation was led by US Africa Command and conducted in close coordination with the US State Department, said Lloyd Austin, the US secretary of defence.

Less than 100 people have been evacuated from the US embassy including a “small number of diplomatic professionals from other countries” Undersecretary of State for Management John Bass told the media. They were airlifted with three Chinook helicopters on Sunday morning in a "fast and clean" operation.

The US does not have any government personnel in Khartoum right now but there are still “a substantial number of our local staff supporting the embassy in a caretaker status”, he said.

However, other American citizens continue to remain in Sudan. The US state department has “notified the US citizen community via consular channels about the organisation of two convoys facilitated by Türkiye and the United Arab Emirates.” The message told Americans that they would be travelling at their own risk, according to a report by CNN.

Also read: Sudan crisis: Who is ‘Hemedti’ and what are the Rapid Support Forces clashing with the military?

The UK airlifts diplomats, other citizens stranded

British diplomats and their families have been evacuated from Sudan in a “complex and rapid” operation, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said Sunday. They were airlifted from Khartoum.

However, Britain’s foreign minister James Cleverly said options to evacuate the remaining British nationals in Sudan were “severely limited”.

Some Britons stranded in the conflict feel abandoned by the UK government. Electricity is scarce and food and water supplies are running out for many, the BBC reports.

However, Cleverly justified the decision to evacuate British diplomats. He said there were “specific threats and violence directed towards diplomats” which led to the decision to rescue the staff.
The UK government remained “absolutely committed to supporting” Britons in Sudan but added that without an end to the fighting, ministers were “severely limited in our ability to provide assistance to British nationals”, he added.

Other European nations

French president Emmanuel Macron confirmed that a plane had arrived in Djibouti, carrying French citizens and others on Sunday. It evacuated diplomats and citizens.

According to Germany’s army, the first of three planes had left Sudan, bound for Jordan, with 101 people on board.

Italy was looking to evacuate 140 nationals and 60 people from other countries like Switzerland. A first group of Dutch citizens has been evacuated from Sudan, Dutch foreign minister Wopke Hoekstra said on Sunday. Spain too has evacuated citizens; the Spanish mission included citizens from Argentina, Colombia, Ireland, Portugal, Poland, Mexico, Venezuela and Sudan, reports BBC.

The Swedish government is sending a troop of 400 armed soldiers to support evacuation efforts in Sudan.

Belgian foreign minister Hadja Lahbib said on Twitter that her country was conducting operations in cooperation with France and the Netherlands to evacuate European nationals “as quickly as possible”.

Canada rescues diplomats

Canada’s prime minister Justin Trudeau said that his government had evacuated its diplomatic staff. The country was suspending operations in Sudan and Canadian diplomats would temporarily work from a safe location outside the country, according to a report in Al Jazeera.

Saudi Arabia, Kuwait nationals evacuated

More than 150 people, including foreign diplomats and officials, have been rescued from Sudan and have arrived in Jeddah, the Saudi foreign ministry said. The first announced evacuation of civilians was carried out by Saudi Arabia’s naval forces with the support of other branches of the army, the foreign ministry said.

The country announced the “safe arrival” of 91 Saudi citizens and around 66 nationals from 12 other countries including India. Citizens from Kuwait, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Tunisia, Pakistan, Bulgaria, Bangladesh, the Philipines, Canada and Burkina Faso have also been evacuated.

Kuwait said all its citizens who wanted to return had arrived in Jeddah.

Jordan has sent four military planes to evacuate about 260 nations from Port Sudan.

Russia’s work in progress

Moscow’s ambassador in Khartoum told Russian state media that 140 out of roughly 300 Russians in Sudan had said they wanted to leave. While evacuation plans were made it was impossible to implement because they involve crossing the front lines, the ambassador said.

With inputs from agencies

Read all the Latest News, Trending News, Cricket News, Bollywood News,
India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.