Tamil Nadu CM Stalin writes to PM Modi, urges evacuation of 400 Tamilians from Sudan

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging him to evacuate 400 Tamilians stranded in war-hit Sudan. India has started 'Operation Kaveri' to evacuate about 3,000 Indians stranded in Sudan. So far, 530 Indians have been evacuated from the country, where a war has broken out between the military and paramilitary forces. 

In his letter, Stalin said that with the complex and evolving security situation in Sudan, it was comforting to know that the Indian Air Force aircraft and the Indian Navy vessels were strategically placed near the African country to facilitate the swift movement of Indian citizens. 

"I wish to draw your attention to the stranded natives of Tamil Nadu in Sudan, estimated to be around 400 persons, and expecting assistance to return to India," the chief minister said. "While the first batch of stranded Indians is onboard INS Sumedha, the State Government has been receiving frantic calls from relatives of the stranded persons."

Stalin said his state administration was ready to support and coordinate with the Ministry of External Affairs and the Indian Embassy in Sudan to facilitate the flow of information regarding the natives of Tamil Nadu and to extend all help for expeditious evacuation of the stranded Tamilians.

"I hope "Operation Kaveri" will bring peace and happiness to all the families of Indians stranded in Sudan, awaiting the safe return of their near and dear ones. We reiterate our readiness to extend our cooperation for the evacuation efforts of Indian citizens from Sudan," he said.

Two military transport aircraft of the Indian Air Force (IAF) evacuated over 250 Indians from Sudan after a naval ship rescued another 278 citizens from Sudan. The total number of Indians evacuated so far from Sudan stands at around 530. Under its evacuation mission 'Operation Kaveri ', India has set up a transit facility at Jeddah and all the Indians have been taken to the Saudi Arabian city after their evacuation from Sudan.

The first batch of 278 Indians was evacuated by Indian Navy's frontline ship INS Sumedha on Tuesday. Later, the first C130J heavy-lift transport aircraft of the IAF landed at Port Sudan to bring back more Indians. It was followed by evacuation by another C130J. According to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, the first C-130J aircraft brought to Jeddah 121 passengers while the second plane evacuated 135.