New Delhi: The Indian embassy in Sudan has been temporarily shifted to Port Sudan as fighting intensified in the capital, Khartoum city of Sudan.
A statement of the Foreign Ministry tweeted by spokesman Arindam Bagchi read: “In view of the prevailing security situation in Sudan, including attacks in Khartoum city, it has been decided that the Indian Embassy in Khartoum will be temporarily relocated to Port Sudan. The situation will be assessed in the light of further developments.”
India under Operation Kaveri continued bringing stranded Indians out of Sudan, and the 19th batch of evacuees left Sudan overland and crossed over to Chad through the adjoining land border with Sudan, officials said.
Indian embassy officials are facilitating their journey back home.
The 18th batch of Indian evacuees reached Jeddah evacuating 135 persons.
Meanwhile, the UN General Secretary has sent Emergency Relief Coordinator Martin Griffiths to the region to explore how the UN can bring immediate relief to millions of people whose lives have been turned upside down by the ongoing fighting in Sudan.
More than 100,000 people have left Sudan and taken refuge in neighbouring countries. Griffiths arrived in Nairobi, where he met President Ruto and the Canadian Foreign Minister, Melanie Joly, who was there, and others to discuss the “catastrophic” situation in Sudan.
The World Food Programme (WFP) lifted the temporary suspension of operations. Food distribution is expected to commence in the states of Gedaref, Gezira, Kassala, and White Nile in the coming days to provide the life-saving assistance that many so desperately need.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has distributed fuel to some hospitals in Sudan. It is also working to offload six containers of medical supplies that arrived by ship in Port Sudan on the Red Sea. This includes supplies for treating traumatic injuries and severe acute malnutrition.
In consultation with the governments and partners, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) is planning for over 800,000 people who may flee fighting in Sudan to the seven neighbouring countries.
“Without a quick resolution of the crisis, we will continue to see more people forced to flee for safety and humanitarian assistance. Our teams’ latest figures confirm that 73,000 people have arrived in neighbouring countries, including Sudanese refugees and returning refugees, notably South Sudanese refugees who had taken refuge in South Sudan,” UN officials said.