16.7.16

Operation Sankat Mochan

The first batch of 156 people, including nine women and three children, evacuated from war-torn South Sudan arrived in India on Friday on board an Indian Air Force plane.
The C-17 plane that took off from South Sudan's capital city Juba with Minister of State for External Affairs VK Singh escorting the evacuees, including two Nepali citizens, made a brief halt in Thiruvanathapuram where passengers from Kerala and Tamil Nadu disembarked before leaving for Delhi.
The IAF plane landed at the Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi on Friday morning. “The flight from South Sudan has landed in Delhi. My colleague Shri Vijay Goyal is at the airport to receive them,“ External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj tweeted on Friday. “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,“ Swaraj said in another tweet.
She expressed her gratitude to the Indian Air Force and its officers for safe evacuation of Indian nationals from the strife-torn territory. “Our heartfelt gratitude to the Indian Air Force and their brave officers who carried out this mission,“ the External Affairs Minister said in her tweet. There were over 550 Indians in Juba and another 150 in areas where the oil wells are located.
MEA Spokesperson Vikas Swarup had said on Thursday that the aim is to evacuate all the Indian nationals who have expressed their interest in leaving.
The evacuation exercise faced a hurdle when several Indians, after registering with the External Affairs Ministry for leaving South Sudan, refused to return, despite an appeal by Swaraj on Twitter asking them to move out.
On those who turned down the government's plea to be evacuated, Singh said, “We tried to convince them. I suppose business comes first, life comes later (for them)....“

Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed the efforts of the External Affairs Ministry, the Defence Ministry, the IAF, the Air India and Railways for undertaking evacuation from war-torn South Sudan under the `Operation Sankat Mochan'. Modi spoke to External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj as well as Minister of State for External Affairs Gen (retd) VK Singh, who went to South Sudan to lead the operation, to congratulate them. “The Prime Minister has welcomed all our Indian sisters & brothers who have returned from South Sudan,“ the PMO said. “PM spoke to EAM @SushmaSwaraj ji & MoS @Gen_VKSingh ji & congratulated them for their efforts in rescuing Indians,“ it added in a tweet.“PM congratulated RM @manoharparrikar, IAF, the Railways, @airindiain for their role in Operation #SankatMochan,“ the PMO said.

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