India on Friday airlifted 754 of its citizens from Sudan. While 362 passengers reached Bengaluru, the rest arrived here on board a C-17 heavy-lift aircraft of the Indian Air Force (IAF). Minister of State for External Affairs V. Muraleedharan informed that the returnees included several members of the Hakki Pikki tribe of Karnataka who had earlier hit the headlines for being stuck in the conflict.
Meanwhile, Mr. Muraleedharan who is stationed at Jeddah to supervise ‘Operation Kaveri’, announced on Friday evening that the 11th batch of 135 stranded Indians were flown into the Saudi city from Port Sudan by a C-130J of the IAF.