Indian nationals among people evacuated by France from Sudan

NEW DELHI: France has evacuated some Indians along with citizens of 27 other countries as part of its evacuation mission from violence-hit Sudan.

The French embassy in New Delhi said on Monday that 388 people from 28 countries, including India, were evacuated.

"French evacuation operations are underway. Last night, two military flight rotations evacuated 388 people of 28 countries, including Indian nationals," it tweeted.

The number of Indians evacuated by France is not immediately known.

On Sunday, Saudi Arabia said it has evacuated from Sudan 66 citizens from "brotherly and friendly" foreign countries that included a few Indian nationals.

People familiar with the matter said in New Delhi that Saudi Arabia evacuated three Indians, who were part of the crew of a Saudi flight and stuck in Sudanese capital Khartoum.

Sudan has been witnessing deadly fighting between the country's army and a paramilitary group for the last 11 days that has reportedly left around 400 people dead.

India has already positioned two heavy-lift military transport aircraft in the Saudi Arabian city of Jeddah and a naval ship at a key port in violence-hit Sudan as part of its contingency plans to evacuate the stranded Indians from that country.

The government on Friday said it was focusing on the safety of over 3,000 Indian citizens presently located throughout Sudan.