156 Indians safely return home from war-torn South Sudan

New Delhi: Minister of State for External Affairs VK Singh truly played the role of a 'Sankat Mochak' for hundreds of Indians stranded in war-torn South Sudan.

Singh led from the front to execute the Indian government's initiative, named 'Operation Sankat Mochan`, and airlifted 156 persons from the African country this morning.

Eighty-five Indians landed at Thiruvananthapuram airport, while 71 arrived in Delhi by a special Indian Air Force flight.

Among those rescued included 46 Keralites, two Nepalese nationals, seven women and three children. The remaining passengers hailed from other South Indian states.

 

Those evacuated arrived on a special Indian Air Force C-17 aircraft at the international airport in Thiruvananthapuram at around 5 am. The other C 17 Globemaster flight of the Indian Air Force touched down at Palam airport in Delhi at around 10.45 am.

Honouring a successful homecoming!
MoS @VijayGoelBJP receives team #SankatMochan and evacuees at the Palam Airport pic.twitter.com/teGRgff852 — Vikas Swarup (@MEAIndia) July 15, 2016

Opn #SankatMochan successful
Back to Capital!@Gen_VKSingh leads Indians safely back from South Sudan to New Delhi pic.twitter.com/F4ipdjaBO0 — Vikas Swarup (@MEAIndia) July 15, 2016

"We`ve brought back 156 Indian nationals, of whom 85 deplaned at Thiruvananthapuram airport. I met Foreign Minister (Barnaba Marial Benjamin) and Vice President (Riek Machar) of South Sudan and they assured me of all possible help," Singh told reporters after landing in the capital. 

Meanwhile, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj expressed her gratitude to the Indian Air Force. Here are her tweets:

I welcome our brothers and sisters on their safe return from strife torn South Sudan. Your country is always with you in hour of crisis./2 — Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) July 15, 2016

I greatly appreciate my colleague @Gen_VK Singh who led this operation./3 — Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) July 15, 2016

Our hearfelt gratitude to the Indian Air Force and their brave officers who carried out this mission. /4 @manoharparrikar — Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) July 15, 2016

I appreciate my MEA officers, Indian Ambassador to South Sudan and his team for their meticulous work. /5 — Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) July 15, 2016

With this OP #SankatMochan is over.

Vande Matram. — Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) July 15, 2016

The Indian Air Force carried out the operation along with the Indian Railways and Air India, who facilitated the onward journey of evacuees.

The C-17 aircraft was brought via Uganda and the minister also met Ugandan Prime Minister Ruhakana Rugunda who on his part assured India of all help.

South Sudan is witnessing heavy fighting between former rebels and government soldiers in several parts of the city.