India evacuates 411 from Lebanon

India evacuated 411 more people, including 82 Indians and 324 Sri Lankans, from Lebanon on Monday in the fourth round of 'Operation Sukoon'  aimed at rescuing men and women from the war-ravaged country.

In the latest round, launched following Israel's bombings targeting the Hezbollah in southern Lebanon, five Nepalis were also brought back. The evacuees were flown in by a special Air India flight from Larnaca in Cyprus.

While the Sri Lankans landed in Colombo, the rest of the evacuees reached Mumbai around 3.30 am on Monday, according to a statement from the ministry of overseas Indian affairs.

From Mumbai, evacuees were sent to their respective destinations by connecting flights or by road.

Of the 82 Indians, 67 hail from Punjab, six from Haryana, three each from Delhi and Tamil Nadu, two from Kerala and one from Uttar Pradesh.

The total number of Indians evacuated from Lebanon till now has reached 1,770. At the beginning of the conflict earlier this month, there were about 12,000 Indians in Lebanon, most of whom contract workers.

The evacuees were first brought by Indian naval ships from the Lebanese capital Beirut to Larnaca and then flown to India.

At least one Indian has been killed and four, including a soldier attached to the UN peacekeeping force, have been injured in Israel's attacks on Lebanon, the fiercest in 24 years.