Afghanistan: India to evacuate diplomats as security worsens
The foreign ministry said the diplomats will return home immediately.
But it did not give any details about the evacuation plan as Afghanistan’s commercial airspace is shut and foreign troops have been struggling to keep the Kabul airport functional.
Afghanistan’s security situation is fluid since the Taliban took over and President Ashraf Ghani fled.
This decision will temporarily end India’s diplomatic presence in Afghanistan. Experts say this could make make it difficult for people – both Afghans and Indians – who want to travel to India.
But they say it’s the right decision because the situation remains volatile.
It’s not clear how many Indian civilians are still stuck in Afghanistan but many have pleaded with Indian authorities on social media to evacuate them.
Foreign minister S Jaishankar said he was keeping an eye on the situation.
“Monitoring the situation in Kabul continuously. Understand the anxiety of those seeking to return to India. Airport operations are the main challenge. Discussions on with partners in that regard,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Taliban have taken full control of the country. They have been asking people to return to work without fearing any retributions.
But experts say it’s too early to fully trust these promises given the Taliban’s bloody past.
Agencies