New Delhi’s embassy in the Sudanese capital of Khartoum is part of the fighting zone of the battle between two factions of the country’s military, and Indians stuck in the African nation have been advised not to go there, the foreign ministry said on Thursday.
Several Indians have been trapped in Khartoum and other Sudanese cities after a battle broke out between rival military factions for control of the north African country. The Sudanese army led by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan is fighting the paramilitary group, the Rapid Support Forces led by General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo.
“The Embassy of India in Khartoum is open, functioning and rendering all services with officials working from separate locations,” Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Arindam Bagchi told reporters. “Nobody is inside the Embassy building right now.”
Bagchi added that the situation in Sudan was “very tense” and that New Delhi was in touch with various countries to ensure the safety of Indians stuck there. When asked whether India was looking at evacuating Indians from Sudan, the spokesperson said some plans were being worked out but they would depend on the ground situation and ceasefire in the battle.
Also read: Why Sudan’s army is fighting its paramilitary forces
The Indian embassy in Sudan has issued advisories and also set up a control room at the foreign ministry office in New Delhi.
On Tuesday, the Indian embassy advised the citizens not to go outside as several incidents of looting had been reported in the country. “Please ration your supplies,” the Indian embassy in Sudan said. “The situation may continue for a few more days. Please try to take help from your neighbours. Please stay at home and remain safe.”
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