India to Evacuate Stranded Citizens in Sudan by Road, People Outside Violent Zones to be Rescued First: Sources

India is planning to evacuate stranded Indians from Sudan by road, where the conflict between the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces and the Sudanese Armed Forces has entered its second week, sources have said.

The sources said that those who are outside the conflict zone and in areas with lesser violence will be evacuated by road.

Indians stranded in areas of continuous violence and firing will be evacuated as soon as the violence subsides.

The new plan comes as air navigation services have been suspended in Sudan’s airspace. The Khartoum International Airport was closed immediately after the conflict started in the capital.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday directed officials to prepare contingency evacuation plans for about 3,000 Indian citizens stuck in the conflict-ridden country.

Around 3000-4000 Indians are stranded in Sudan and most of them are stranded in the capital Khartoum, which is the epicentre of the fighting.

“Prime Minister Modi assessed the most recent developments in Sudan and received a first-hand report of the conditions on the ground, with specific focus on the safety of over 3,000 Indian citizens presently located throughout the country,” the PMO said.

Ferocious battles between the Sudanese army and a paramilitary group — which has seen fighter jets launch airstrikes and street fighting with tanks in densely populated Khartoum — have killed more than 400 people and left thousands wounded.

India is chalking out plans for the safety and security of stranded Indians and planning for their evacuation.

Earlier on Saturday, more than 150 people, including Indian nationals, were rescued from Sudan and taken to Jeddah, the Saudi foreign ministry said. It said that 91 Saudi citizens and around 66 nationals from 12 other countries — Kuwait, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Tunisia, Pakistan, India, Bulgaria, Bangladesh, the Philipines, Canada and Burkina Faso arrived safely in the country.

Meanwhile, the United States military conducted an operation to extract American embassy staff from Khartoum. France has also launched evacuation operations from the northeast African nation.

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