Five persons brought back from Sudan to Chennai

They are the first batch of nine person evacuated from conflict-hit Sudan as part of Operation Kaveri

Five, including two couples and a daughter of one of them, who are the first batch of nine persons who were evacuated from conflict-hit Sudan under Operation Kaveri returned to the city.

“The conflict in the last 15 days in Sudan uprooted our lives completely. Initially, we thought the conflict would be over within two days. However, it became worse on day 3,” said Kiruthika, whose family has been residing in Sudan for the past eight years.

“Since our house was located near the house of the paramilitary head in Sudan, all our money, valuables and car were taken away. Then, we lost all hope of returning to India. We became nomads. Whatever we earned in the nation was lost. We could only bring back some clothing and our passports,” she added.

Sophia, another returnee who is pregnant, said, “We managed with curd rice and pickles, but were later stranded without food and water.”

Divya Rajasekaran, 14, said it was traumatising. “No one should see calamity. My education is lost. My heart stops with each gunshot and explosion that I hear.”