New Delhi: India is coordinating with diplomatic partners like the US, UK, UAE and Saudi Arabia to ensure the safety of its nationals in crisis-hit Sudan, according to persons aware of the matter.
Days after fighting erupted between Sudan’s army and paramilitary forces, tensions remain high. On Sunday, an Indian was killed in the streets of Khartoum, Sudan’s capital, as fighting between rival armed factions escalated. According to the Indian embassy in Sudan, Kerala native Albert Augestine was hit by a stray bullet.
The Indian community in Sudan is estimated to be 4,000 strong, of which 1,500 are long-time residents.
According to the persons cited above, external affairs minister S. Jaishankar has spoken to counterparts in Saudi Arabia and the UAE to ensure the safety of Indian citizens. New Delhi is also coordinating closely with the US and UK through its envoys in those countries.
“Situation on the street is very tense and movement is very risky at this stage. Our priority is safety of movement and well being of individuals wherever they are located,” said the persons cited above.
Two figures are central to the in-fighting. Army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, who took power in a coup in 2021, is clashing with his deputy, Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, who commands the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The power struggle has shaken the country, with the accompanying violence killing an estimated 200 people.
As the violence has escalated, New Delhi and its embassy in Khartoum have moved to secure Indian nationals.
The ministry of external affairs has set up a control room at its headquarters in New Delhi to monitor the situation.
The embassy in Khartoum has put out advisories urging Indians to remain indoors and ration food.
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