On 15 April 2023, an ongoing rivalry between Sudan’s two top generals, army chief, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and his former deputy and chief of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), broke out into open warfare between forces loyal to the two generals, engulfing the country into dangerous warfare. The conflict between the army and the RSF erupted into intensely violent open battles in the streets of Khartoum – with troops, tanks and planes.
The tipping point was a dispute over the planned integration of the RSF into the regular army. This was a key condition for a deal to restore Sudan’s democratic transition which was awaited since the government led by former president Omar Al-Bashir was toppled by the military in April 2019 following mass protest in the country. The two generals had joined forces to oust a civilian government installed after the downfall of the Bashir government. Thereafter, they turned on each other. Ferocious clashes between the country’s army and paramilitary force, the RSF, have been going on ever since.
The RSF grew out of, and is primarily composed of, the Janjaweed militias. These were used by the government of Sudan to stifle a rebellion in the Darfur region in the early 2000s. The tussle between the Sudanese army and the RSF is of recent origin; until a few years ago they were allies. In 2022, a framework deal to put power back in the hands of civilians was agreed. Tensions increased over the demand for the RSF’s integration into the Sudanese military. In April 2023, Dagalo mobilized the RSF against al-Burhan’s government. The fighting that broke out in Sudan’s capital, Khartoum, on April 15 quickly escalated to other parts of the country. Much of the conflict is happening in densely populated urban areas, as RSF forces moved into these areas. Civilians, thus, become victims of the conflict. A large number of people are reported to have died, with dead bodies littering the streets, as people struggle with acute shortages of food, water, medicines, electricity and virtually everything else. Tens of thousands of civilians have been trying to escape the fierce fighting amidst escalating violence, worsened by military air strikes over RSF positions in densely populated urban areas, with both sides fighting pitched battles on the streets using guns and artillery fire.
A crisis such as this throws even the most well prepared set ups out of gear. Even though all Indian missions have updated contingency plans and make efforts to keep in touch with Indian nations residing in the country, the sudden outbreak of intense fighting within the capital city of Khartoum itself, meant that the situation initially required monitoring, as anything else was virtually impossible. The Indian government and the embassy monitored the developments closely and carefully. The embassy managed to establish contact and create networks with Indians in Sudan, including PIOs. Amidst heavy fighting, and after several failed attempts to enforce a ceasefire, there was eventually a ceasefire with sporadic fighting restricted to some areas only. This was the window everybody was waiting for!
The Government of India launched Operation Kaveri, an effort to help, assist and bring back the stranded Indians stuck in the conflict zone in Sudan. Each step of the evacuation process was a challenge. The port area from where rescue operations could take place was about 850 kms from Khartoum. Indian nationals were stuck not just in various parts of Khartoum but also in other parts of Sudan. Communication was a challenge, with network problems and lack of electricity in many places. Finding buses to transport the Indians in their large numbers, and then diesel for the buses to travel 850 kms was another almost insurmountable challenge that the hardworking staff of the embassy managed to accomplish. Movement was invariably restricted to the darkness of night for safety reasons. Two officials accompanied each bus. Consular facilities were provided to those who needed them as many would have been unable to bring even their travel documents due to the prevailing crisis. Arrangements were also made at the port area for the waiting Indian nationals and their families. Similar arrangements were made by the Indian Consulate in Jeddah from where the stranded people finally travelled home.
At the time of writing, around 3000 people had been evacuated from Sudan safely. The 16th batch of evacuees, including senior citizens, had left Sudan on an Indian Air Force C-130J flight bound for Jeddah with 122 passengers. Indian ships and aircraft have been ferrying the stranded Indians back to their motherland through extremely dangerous conditions,
The bravery and courage of the service personnel have helped the lives of their compatriots stranded in Sudan.
Sudan is, unfortunately, no stranger to conflict. Civil war, conflict, coups and fighting ensured that the third largest African country, well endowed with natural resources, has one of the poorest populations in Africa. As Indian nationals reach the safety of their motherland, it is hoped that good sense will prevail in Sudan and that the people of Sudan will see the return of peace at the earliest. Failure can be catastrophic not just for Sudan but would also put at risk the countries of the region.
Mrs. Ruchi Ghanashyam is the former High Commissioner of India to the UK. With a career in Indian Foreign Service for over 38 years, she has been posted in many countries including South Africa, Ghana, before arriving in the UK. She was only the second woman High Commissioner to the UK since India’s independence and during her tenure, she witnessed a number of significant developments in the UK-India relations.
T: @RuchiGhanashyam
