‘Operation Sankat Mochan’: First C-17 aircraft reaches Sudan

New Delhi: Headed by General V.K. Singh, first C-17 Globamaster aircraft of the Indian Air Force reached Juba on Thursday on ‘Operation Sankat Mochan’ to evacuate 500 Indian nationals from the violence stricken African nation.

Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Vikas Swarup in consecutive tweets informed that Indian rescue team headed by General V.K. Singh landed in Juba. Indian Blue Berets are already in South Sudan as part of United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) to lend a helping hand in the evacuation effort.

#OperationSankatMochan begins at crack of dawn. Two C 17 aircraft leave for Juba with @Gen_VKSingh on board. pic.twitter.com/DsmQJK5eHz

— Vikas Swarup (@MEAIndia) July 14, 2016

Operation #SankatMochan

Check-in formalities begin for evacuation as the first C-17 expected to land in Juba soon pic.twitter.com/xsvHGobqmy

— Vikas Swarup (@MEAIndia) July 14, 2016

Opn #SankatMochan

Indian rescue team headed by @Gen_VKSingh lands in Juba in the first C-17 Globemaster pic.twitter.com/tilGk5nXZn

— Vikas Swarup (@MEAIndia) July 14, 2016

Opn #SankatMochan

Indian Blue Berets posted in South Sudan as part of UNMISS lend a helping hand in evac'n effort pic.twitter.com/0tCr94iwmx

— Vikas Swarup (@MEAIndia) July 14, 2016

V.K. Singh also met Sudan Foreign Minister Deng Alor Kuol regarding this very issue.

Opn #SankatMochan

Close co-ord'n with local authorities. MOS @Gen_VKSingh meets with S Sudan FM Deng Alor Kuol pic.twitter.com/aZbkS7p60R

— Vikas Swarup (@MEAIndia) July 14, 2016

From leaving for the Juba, General V.K. Singh had said that they would make every possible attempt to evacuate the Indian nationals.

Time to leave.Thanku all 4the messages & good wishes. We will do our best 2bring back every Indian.Op #SankatMochan pic.twitter.com/sinaTqBwCC

— Vijay Kumar Singh (@Gen_VKSingh) July 13, 2016

At least 36,000 South Sudanese civilians have run away from their homes due to the harsh conditions, United Nations (UN) said.