Sudan conflict: PM Modi chairs high-level meet as 4,000 Indians stuck in crisis-hit nation

Mangalore Today News Network

New Delhi, April 21, 2023: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is chairing a meeting on Friday in the aftermath of the Sudan crisis that has put the lives of thousands of Indians in the capital city Khartoum at stake. As many as 4,000 Indians are currently stuck in the crisis-hit nation.

 

Sudan has been witnessing deadly fighting between the country’s army and a paramilitary group for the last seven days that has reportedly left around 200 people dead.

Due to the indiscriminate firing, Indians are also facing a shortage of food, water, medicines and electricity. As many as five million people sheltering at home are without electricity, food or water and communications are heavily disrupted.

The deadly clashes entered their seventh day on Friday and the External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar said the government is in continuous touch with Indians stuck in Sudan.

India on Thursday said the situation in that country is "very tense" and it is focusing on ensuring the safety and well-being of the Indian community, including working on contingency plans and possible evacuation.

“The situation on the ground continues to be very tense. Our focus is on ensuring the safety of the individuals. We are in touch with people through different channels,” said Arindam Bagchi, spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs.

The MEA in a statement said New Delhi is keeping a close watch on the developments, besides being in touch with relevant countries. He said any evacuation plan will depend on the ground situation.

On Wednesday, sources in the government said India is coordinating closely with various countries, including the US, the UK and Saudi Arabia, to ensure the safety and security of Indian nationals in violence-hit Sudan. Foreign Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar has already spoken to his counterparts from Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt on the ground situation in violence-hit Sudan with a focus on ensuring the safety of the Indians.

An Indian national working in Sudan who got hit by a stray bullet succumbed to his injuries, the Indian Embassy said on April 16. The government said that all help would be provided for the family of the Indian national who died of bullet injuries in the violence-hit Sudanese capital city of Khartoum.

Union Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan said the family of Albert Augestine, who hailed from Kannur district of Kerala, will be provided all necessary help and that steps are on to bring his body back to the country.

Fighting erupted across Khartoum and at other sites in Sudan in a battle between two powerful rival military factions, engulfing the capital in warfare for the first time and raising the risk of a nationwide civil conflict.

Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) said it had agreed to a 72-hour truce from 6 a.m. (0400 GMT) on Friday but residents of Khartoum and its sister city Bahri reported gunfire as Sudanese troops deployed in the cities on foot, reported Reuters.

The RSF early on Friday announced a ceasefire after six days of fighting to coincide with the start of the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Fitr and to allow residents to reunite with their families.

Courtesy: India Today