156 Indians return from war-hit South Sudan

New Delhi/Thiruvanthapuram, July 15: A total of 156 Indian tiols, including 46 from Kerala, were brought back to India from violence-hit South Sudan on Friday on board a special IAF plane as part of ‘Operation Sankat Mochan’.

Among those rescued from the conflict zone were two Nepalese, seven women and three children.

The evacuated Indians came in an Indian Air Force (IAF) C-17 Globemaster heavy-lift aircraft that first landed at Thiruvanthapuram airport around 5 a.m. and then in Delhi at 10.45 a.m.

Of the 156, 85 deplaned at Thiruvanthapuram and 71 landed at Delhi.

Prime Minister rendra Modi welcomed the evacuated Indians and congratulated Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar, the IAF, and the Railway Ministry for their effort. He also congratulated Exterl Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Minister of State for Exterl Affairs V.K. Singh, who led the operation.

“PM congratulated RM @manoharparrikar, IAF, the Railways, @airindiain for their role in Operation #SankatMochan,” PMO India tweeted.

Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) made special arrangement for the onward journey of the persons belonging to Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Kerala, Delhi, Chandigarh, Odisha, Tamil du, Telanga, West Bengal, Rajasthan and Andhra Pradesh.

“We have been providing free AC third class tickets to the Indians evacuated from South Sudan to sent them their tive states,” Deputy General Mager (IRCTC) Achyut Singh told IANS. veen, 34, one of those who returned here, told IANS that he could not come out of his home in Thongpiny area in Juba, the capital of South Sudan, since Friday when he heard gunfire outside. (IANS)