OPERATION KAVERI
754 Indian citizens were flown out of Sudan on Friday. The remaining passengers landed here on a C-17 heavy-lift aircraft of the Indian Air Force (IAF), while 362 passengers arrived in Bengaluru. V. Muraleedharan, the minister of state for external affairs, reported that some Hakki Pikki tribe members from Karnataka, who had previously made headlines for being caught up in the violence, were among the returns.
On Friday night, Mr. Muraleedharan, who is in Jeddah to oversee “Operation Kaveri,” revealed that the 11th group of 135 trapped Indians had been transported into the Saudi capital from Port Sudan by an IAF C-130J.
India has established a coordination hub in the Saudi port with the help of the Saudi government, which has emerged as the halfway point. According to government estimates, there are approximately 3,400 Indians living in Sudan, including 1,000 PIOs (Persons of Indian Origin) who have lived there for many generations. The last of the buses carrying the Gujarati families will depart from Khartoum by Saturday, according to Jawahar Mithani, a veteran Indian businessman who was evacuated on Thursday to Mumbai. After that day, no member of the Gujarati community living in Sudan will remain in Khartoum.
“Gujaratis in Sudan are a close-knit group, and since we all know one another, we would be aware if any of us were missing. However, many Indians live alone or in small groups, making it difficult to locate them. If someone has chosen to remain in India, we won’t know until they contact the embassy or residents like us, said Mr. Mithani from his home in Pune. He claimed that many Indians employed in the oil and gas sector live in remote areas, making it difficult to learn about them under the current circumstances.
Following the evacuation on Friday, Operation Kaveri is now concentrating on the Indian communities that reside in remote regions of Sudan away from Khartoum. As many people are caught up in locations like El Fashir in Darfur, which is currently very volatile, this is probably going to be a more difficult part of the operation. According to Mr. Mithani, the situation is unstable because both the RSF and the SAF, the opposing warring forces, are constantly gaining and losing territory. As an illustration, he cited the Monday RSF capture and Tuesday SAF recapture of the Omdurman TV station.
“The SAF regained control of the TV station after a while. All roads and bridges are in similar condition because they are constantly changing from one group to the next, he continued. Movement on the ground is probably going to be considerably more challenging in such an uncertain situation.
The 72-hour ceasefire that the Americans mediated and which remains to be seen if the warring parties agree to extend it was, however, the most crucial aspect that enabled India to evacuate civilians during the past four days.
According to Dr. Alnoor Ahmad, a Sudanese professor residing in Khartoum, significant airstrikes and bombardments have resumed in the capital of Sudan on Friday evening, indicating the ceasefire is not holding. However, he observed that despite the evacuation by foreign nations taking place, fighting between the two groups persisted during the ceasefire.
- Sudan Crisis : Overview
The Sudan crisis refers to a series of political and humanitarian crises that have plagued Sudan, a country in northeastern Africa, for decades. The crisis has been characterized by civil wars, economic instability, human rights abuses, and political turmoil.
Sudan gained independence from Britain in 1956, but political instability and civil unrest soon followed. In 1989, a military coup led by General Omar al-Bashir ousted the democratically elected government and established an authoritarian regime. Al-Bashir’s government was known for its repression of political opponents, restriction of freedom of speech and the press, and support for Islamic fundamentalism.
In 2003, a rebellion erupted in the Darfur region of Sudan, where non-Arab ethnic groups were fighting for greater political representation and economic opportunities. The government responded with brutal force, and an estimated 300,000 people were killed, with millions more displaced. The conflict also resulted in charges of genocide and war crimes against al-Bashir, who was later ousted in 2019.
In addition to the conflict in Darfur, Sudan has also experienced violence and displacement in other regions, including South Sudan, the Blue Nile, and the Nuba Mountains. These conflicts have been fueled by ethnic, religious, and economic factors, and have resulted in widespread suffering and displacement.
The Sudan crisis has also been characterized by economic instability, including high inflation, unemployment, and a shortage of basic goods. The government’s decision to cut subsidies on fuel and food in 2018 sparked widespread protests, which led to a brutal crackdown by security forces that killed dozens of people and resulted in the arrest of thousands.
In 2019, following months of protests and pressure from the international community, al-Bashir was removed from power by the military. A transitional government was established, led by Abdalla Hamdok, a former United Nations economist. The new government has promised to implement democratic reforms, improve human rights, and address the country’s economic challenges.
However, the transition has been fraught with challenges, including a fragile peace deal with rebel groups, a struggling economy, and the continued influence of the military in politics. The COVID-19 pandemic has also worsened the economic situation, as well as hindered the transitional government’s ability to implement reforms.
The Sudan crisis has also had a significant impact on the country’s people, particularly women and children. Women in Sudan face discrimination and restrictions on their rights, and are often subjected to violence and abuse. Children are also affected by the conflict, with many forced to flee their homes and communities, and deprived of education and basic needs.
