New Delhi, January 8: An Indian national stranded on Socotra Island in Yemen has been successfully evacuated and returned to India, the Indian mission in Yemen confirmed on Wednesday.
“Indian national Ms. Rakki Kishan Gopal, who was stranded on Socotra Island for the past few weeks, was successfully evacuated on a special Yemenia flight to Jeddah on January 7. She was received by officials of the Consulate General of India in Jeddah and subsequently returned to India this morning,” the mission said in a post on X.
The evacuation comes amid heightened political and military tensions in Yemen, which have disrupted air travel and left civilians and foreign nationals stranded. Yemeni government forces, backed by Saudi Arabia, recently regained control over all military sites in the eastern governorates of Hadramout and al-Mahra from the UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council (STC), Al Jazeera reported.
Diplomatic efforts are also underway, with an STC delegation led by chief Aidarous al-Zubaidi expected to attend a peace forum in Saudi Arabia, seen as a potential step toward easing Yemen’s ongoing conflict. On the ground, STC forces have withdrawn from Mukalla, the strategic port city and capital of Hadramout, following limited Saudi-led coalition air strikes targeting cargo and weapons facilities. Civilian life is gradually returning, with shops reopening and traffic resuming in parts of the city.
The conflict escalated in early December when STC fighters seized control of Hadramout and al-Mahra, which together account for nearly half of Yemen’s landmass and border Saudi Arabia. The clashes marked a significant intensification in the power struggle between the separatists and the internationally recognized government.
Rashad al-Alimi, head of Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council, said Saudi-backed Homeland Shield forces had successfully reclaimed all military and security positions from the STC. The Yemeni government requested Saudi Arabia to host talks with the separatists, a proposal welcomed by the STC, though no timeline has been set.
The STC announced a two-year transitional phase aimed at declaring an independent southern state, warning that independence would be declared immediately if dialogue fails or if southern Yemen faces renewed attacks. The Yemeni government emphasized that efforts to retake military bases were intended to restore state control peacefully and systematically.
The conflict has severely affected civilian movement, including on Socotra Island, which is under STC control. More than 400 tourists were stranded after flights were suspended amid clashes on the mainland. Air traffic to and from Yemen has largely been restricted in recent days due to ongoing fighting between rival armed groups.
Yahya bin Afrar, Socotra’s deputy governor for culture and tourism, confirmed that the suspension of flights left over 400 foreign tourists unable to leave the island, linking the disruptions to the broader escalation of violence on the mainland.
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