Sudan violence: PM Modi directs officials to prepare contingency evacuation plan, closely monitor situation

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, Air Force and Navy chiefs, top officials of foreign and defence ministries and senior diplomats attended the meeting held virtually. Jaishankar is currently on a visit to Guyana. 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday (April 21) chaired a high-level conference to assess the security condition of Indian nationals stuck in Sudan, where fighting between the army and a paramilitary force has killed more than 300 people.

According to a press statement, PM Modi directed that all relevant officials be attentive, constantly monitoring developments and continuously assessing the safety of Indian national in Sudan and offering all available aid to them.

The Prime Minister also instructed the development of contingency evacuation plans, taking into consideration the quickly changing security picture and the practicality of alternative options.

During the discussion, Prime Minister Modi examined the most recent events in Sudan and heard a first-hand assessment on the situation on the ground, with a particular emphasis on the safety of nearly 3,000 Indian citizens who are currently scattered around the country.

Meanwhile, PM Modi also conveyed his sympathies on the death of an Indian person who was killed by a stray gunshot last week.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, Air Force and Navy chiefs, top officials of foreign and defence ministries and senior diplomats attended the meeting held virtually. Jaishankar is currently on a visit to Guyana. 

The conflict is a direct result of a vicious power struggle within the country's military leadership. The clashes are between Sudan's regular army and a paramilitary force called the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

More than 300 people, including an Indian national, have been killed since intense fighting erupted in the Sudanese capital, Khartoum and elsewhere in the country on Saturday.