New Delhi: The violent clashes in the Sudanese capital Khartoum have now entered the third week since it began on April 15, when a long-simmering power struggle between the army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) erupted into conflict.
The Sudanese army and its rival paramilitary said on Sunday that they will extend a humanitarian cease-fire for a further 72 hours. The decision follows international pressure to allow the safe passage of civilians and aid but the shaky truce has not so far stopped the clashes.
Despite a ceasefire in place, there are continuing reports of heavy fighting in the capital Khartoum with the UK, US, France, Germany, Italy, Greece, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the Gulf states among those closing embassies and racing to evacuate their nationals from the war-torn country.
At least 528 people have been killed and 4,599 wounded since the fighting erupted, with more than 75,000 people being internally displaced so far, the United Nations reported, as quoted by Reuters.
In statements, both sides accused the other of violations. The agreement has de-escalated the fighting in some areas but violence continues to push civilians to flee. Aid groups have also struggled to get badly needed supplies into the country.
Rescue Operations In War Zone
Countries rushed to rescue their citizens, embassy staff and others after the two sides at war in Sudan announced 72-hour ceasefire. Foreign governments organised a major evacuation of expatriates, some by land and sea, and some by air.
Reuters mentioned Egypt as saying that on Saturday it would stop running evacuations out of the Wadi Seidna base north of Khartoum, a day after Turkey said an evacuation plane was shot at.
Meanwhile, in one of the latest efforts by foreign governments to evacuate their citizens and others, a convoy of buses carrying about 300 Americans left the war-torn capital of Sudan on Friday, starting a 525-mile journey to the Red Sea, US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said, mentioned a New York Times report.
It added that the convoy was being tracked by armed American drones that hovered high overhead, watching for threats.
Britain has evacuated 1,573 people since Tuesday from an airfield north of Khartoum, most of them British nationals. Germany and France have evacuated 1,700 people by air whereas at least 3,000 more from various countries have been evacuated by sea from Port Sudan to Jeddah in Saudi Arabia, Saudi authorities said, reported The New York Times.
India’s Operation Kaveri
India on Sunday brought back home another batch of 186 people as part of its mission to evacuate stranded Indians from strife-torn Sudan. According to official data, the total number of Indians who returned home now stands at 2,140.
Under the evacuation mission, 754 people arrived in India in two batches on Friday.
On Sunday, 229 Indians arrived in Bengaluru while 365 people reached Delhi the day before.
The Indians were brought back home from the Saudi Arabian city of Jeddah where India set up a transit camp for the evacuees. The first batch of 360 evacuees returned to New Delhi in a commercial plane on Wednesday.
The second batch of 246 Indian evacuees arrived in Mumbai in a C17 Globemaster aircraft of the Indian Air Force on Thursday.
Under Operation Kaveri, India has been transporting its citizens in buses from conflict zones in Khartoum and other troubled areas to Port Sudan, from where they are transported to the Saudi Arabian city of Jeddah in heavy-lift transport aircraft and ships of the Indian Air Force and Indian Navy.