India seeks KSA help to evacuate citizens

India asked Saudi Arabia to help evacuate its citizens from Yemen, where more than 4,000 Indians, over half of them nurses, are caught up in fighting. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s office said he had spoken by telephone with King Salman and requested Riyadh’s “support and cooperation in the evacuation of Indian citizens from Yemen.” King Salman assured Modi of all possible assistance to help them leave, it said in a statement. Two Air India planes on standby in Oman were unable to fly in to Sanaa on Monday. Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy said in a previous statement: “Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj has said that India will send two ships to evacuate Indians who are trapped there.” He said: “As the airports are closed, the plan is to bring these people in ships to neighboring country of Djibouti and from there they will be brought to India by air.” Those who cannot leave Yemen by ship will be driven to Saudi Arabia, according to AFP. -Arab news