Operation Kaveri: IAF C-17 aircraft to leave for Jeddah

Under "Operation Kaveri", the Indian Air Force C-17 transport aircraft is scheduled to leave for Jeddah, Saudi Arabia to bring back Indian citizens stranded in Sudan to their homes, according to government sources.

As per the government sources, the aircraft is planned to leave in the evening from Ghaziabad's Hindon air base and return with Indians from Jeddah tomorrow morning to Mumbai.

India has started evacuating Indians from conflict-ridden Sudan under "Operation Kaveri."

The evacuation operation started in Port Sudan. Till now, an estimated 300-500 Indian citizens have been evacuated by ship and other evacuation processes are going on.

The government sources also stated that the INS Teg is stationed at Port Sudan to bring back Indians from there to Jeddah.

Earlier, the INS Sumedha has already disembarked 278 Indians from there to Jeddah. INS Tarkash is in the vicinity to take part in the operations there, according to Government sources.

Now, private carriers in India are also showing their willingness to operate charter flights from India to Jeddah for evacuation. India's low-cost carrier Indigo has offered its services to the government regarding evacuation under Operation Kaveri.

"We have offered our services for charter flights to Jeddah under the Indian Government's Operation Kaveri rescue mission of our citizens from Sudan," an IndiGo official said.

"We are still awaiting details from the ministry to launch these flights, nothing has been confirmed as of yet," the airlines company added.

Earlier, Abdalla Omer Bashir Elhusain, Ambassador of Sudan to India told ANI, "The evacuation process is a very sensitive process given to the political situation, due to the violation of the ceasefire. Due to the distance between Khartoum and Port Sudan, where most of the Indian citizens are staying, which is almost 1000 kilometres, they will have to go by road. So, it is very clear and obvious that this needs a lot of arrangements and coordination. We provided security and protection for the convoy from Khartoum towards Sudan. Hopefully, this operation will continue until all Indian citizens come back safely to their homes and to their families."

Operation Kaveri was launched by India to evacuate Indians stranded in Sudan where the Sudanese Army and paramilitary groups are fighting. Indian Navy has also joined Operation Kaveri with INS Teg arriving at Port Sudan on Tuesday with additional officials and essential relief materials.