MEA in touch with various nations to evacuate stranded Indians in Sudan

New Delhi [India], April 20 : External Affairs Minister Jaishankar is likely to meet United Nations Antonio Guterres in New York on Thursday and hold discussions on the Sudan military crisis, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said on Thursday.
Addressing a media briefing, the MEA spokesperson said External Affairs Minister Jaishankar is on a visit to Latin America, and en-route he made a stopover in New York. He will meet the UN Secretary-General to discuss the Sudan crisis, Bagchi informed. The main point of the discussion can be the evacuation process of the nationals of other countries stranded in Sudan amid the ongoing military crisis.
Bagchi further informed that the EAM has also spoken to his counterparts from Saudi Arabia and the UAE. On Thursday, he has also spoken to his Egyptian counterpart.
An unspecified number of Indians are said to be stranded in Sudan amid the military and political crisis. The MEA spokesperson said the MEA is in contact with the Indian embassy.
"We are engaged with countries in the region and other countries that have a key role to play particularly, the US, UK, Saudi Arabia and the UAE," Bagchi said.
"Our ambassador in Washington DC and High Cmmisson in London are in touch with the respective host governments. We are also working with various UN Bodies that are present since the UN has a significant presence there," he added.
The MEA spokesperson said, "This is an issue on which we are keeping a very close watch and the evolving situation there."
"Our mission in Khartoum is in contact the Indian community there through formal and informal channels. Our embassy has issued several advisories," he added.
A control room has also been opened in New Delhi to address the concerns more efficiently.
"We have set up a 24x7 dedicated control room for providing information and assistance," Bagchi informed.
"Most of the calls are being received in Khartoum. However, are people who are contacting here (MEA office in New Delhi). More than 100 calls have been received in less than 24 hours," Bagchi informed.
On the death of an Indian in Sudan, Bagchi said, "There has been an unfortunate death of one Indian national. His body is currently at a hospital after a lot of effort, we have been able to get that body move from his apartment complex into a mortuary. Our embassy is in touch with the family of the deceased as well as the medical authorities there."
He said the situation on the ground continues to remain tense, rendering any movement very risky. "Currently, our focus is ensuring the safety and well-being of the individuals wherever they are located," he added.
On the number of Indians stranded in Sudan, Bagchi said, "We understand the difficulty the people are facing. The situation on the ground is changing and fluid. There are incidents happening at various locations. There are mechanisms they (stranded Indians) have signed up forms where they have given all the details which give us some sense of how many people are there."
He said due to patchy power and internet connectivity, the foreign office was not sure yet how many Indians are exactly stranded.
He added, "We don't want to get into the details and numbers and locations due to security reasons. We want to assure that we are in touch with them. We are calling them through social media posts where they mention any group that has not been contacted."
"We are trying to reach out in their local languages and reassure them that it is best for them to stay where they are because the movement in the street is unsafe," he said.
Bagchi said the citizens of all countries are facing the same difficulty as airports are non-operational and intense fighting is going around in various parts of the country. He said several countries were looking for options to get their people and diplomatic personnel out.
He said that a ceasefire would be an advantage in the evacuation process. "If the situation on the ground improves and there is a pause in the fighting and a formal ceasefire, we will certainly take advantage of that. Primarily to get people together in a safe spot, and provide food, and water, but for the moment there is not much respite from the fighting," he added.
The place where the Indian embassy is located is opposite the airport, he informed, adding that the particular zone has seen a lot of fighting and shelling.
"We can't confirm an attack on the embassy but there are reports that in that zone, attacks are going on," Bagchi added.
He said since the area is risky, there is nobody on the embassy premises though they are functional from their respective places.
He informed further that the evacuation plans depend on the situation on the ground.
"Our embassy is really pushing in terms of trying to track down every Indian. We are trying to build a database of information and are also trying to counsel them," Bagchi informed.
The conflict between Sudan's military leader and his deputy on the ruling council erupted six days ago, derailing a plan for a transition to a civilian democracy that had received international support, four years after the overthrow of the previous government by widespread protests and two years after a military coup. There have been violent clashes in Sudan for nearly six days between the country's army and a paramilitary group over a proposed timeline for handing over power to a civilian government.
Nearly 300 people have been killed in the past five days, according to the UN health agency.
Thousands of people have fled Khartoum for safety, reported Al Jazeera.
As many as 70 per cent of the hospitals in Khartoum and neighbouring states have been rendered "out of service" due to the fighting, according to the Sudanese Doctor's Union.