Operation 'Kaveri': 10th batch of 135 Indians departs from war-torn Sudan

India evacuated tenth batch of 135 stranded Indians from Port Sudan on an IAF C 130J flight, said the ministry of external affairs (MEA) said on Friday morning. They are headed towards Jeddah in Saudi Arabia.

Taking to micro-blogging Twitter, MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi wrote,''#OperationKaveri progresses further. 10th batch of evacuees with 135 passengers onboard IAF C-130J flight departs Port Sudan for Jeddah.''

Earlier, V Muraleedharan, Minister of State for External Affairs, who is in Jeddah to oversee the evacuation effort updated that the ninth batch of Indian nationals had been safely evacuated from Sudan and arrived at Jeddah airport.

Taking to micro-blogging platform Twitter, V Muraleedharan wrote,''Port Sudan to Jeddah. 9th batch, 135 Indians. Welcome to the safe hands..''

Under 'Operation Kaveri', India has been evacuating its citizens in buses from conflict-hit Sudan and other troubled areas of the country from where they are being taken to the Saudi Arabia's Jeddah in Indian Air Force's heavy-lift transport aircraft and Indian Navy's ships.

The distance between Khartoum and Port Sudan is around 850 km and the travel time by bus varies from 12 hours to 18 hours considering the prevailing situation and whether the vehicles are operating during the day or night.

Sudan has been witnessing deadly fighting between the country's army and a paramilitary group that has reportedly left around 400 people dead.

On Thursday, the second batch of 246 Indians were carried in Indian Air Force's C-17 Globemaster and brought to Mumbai.

(with agency inputs)