Operation 'Kaveri': Indians evacuated from war-torn Sudan thank PM Modi

The second batch of 246 stranded Indians evacuated from war-torn Sudan by the Indian Air Force arrived in Mumbai from Saudi Arabia's Jeddah on Thursday. The Indian Air Force's C-17 Globemaster, which took off from Jeddah around 11 a.m. IST, landed in Mumbai around 3.30 p.m., an official said.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar informed that another flight with 246 more Indians had reached Mumbai.

Speaking to news agency ANI, an Indian national who returned from Sudan said, "I want to thank the Indian government for bringing us safely. They made all arrangements, including food. All things were perfect. We are happy.''

"Our country is great. May PM Modi live for 1,000 years," said an elderly woman said.

"We are feeling happy as we've returned to our home. The rescue operation is going on at a fast pace. We are satisfied (with the government)," says Avatar Singh, an Indian national who returned from Sudan.

Taking to micro-blogging platform Twitter, V Muraleedharan, Minister of State for External Affairs, who is in Jeddah to oversee the evacuation effort, wrote, "Our efforts to swiftly send Indians back home from Jeddah is paying. 246 Indians will be in Mumbai soon, travelling by IAF C17 Globemaster. Happy to see them off at Jeddah airport.''

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 Saudi Arabia's Jeddah in the Indian Air Force's heavy-lift transport aircraft and the 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 Wednesday, the first batch of 360 Indians were carried in a chartered flight and brought to Delhi.

(with agency inputs)