Jaishankar speaks to British counterpart Raab on situation in Afghanistan

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar spoke to his British counterpart Dominic Raab on Wednesday on the situation in Afghanistan, their second such conversation in a week.

New Delhi: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar spoke to his British counterpart Dominic Raab on Wednesday on the situation in Afghanistan, their second such conversation in a week.

India has been in constant touch with all major countries on the fast-paced developments in Afghanistan, particularly after the Taliban took control of the country on August 15. "Nice speaking again to UK Foreign Secretary @DominicRaab. The conversation focused on Afghanistan related developments," Jaishankar tweeted.

The Jaishankar-Raab conversation came a day after the US completed the withdrawal of its forces from Afghanistan, ending its two-decade war in the country. The external affairs minister spoke to Raab on August 25 as well on the Afghan crisis.

On Wednesday, Jaishankar also spoke to Omani Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr Al Busaidi. "Good to talk to Omani Foreign Minister @badralbusaidi. Discussed Afghanistan and Covid. Thank Oman for supporting our repatriation flights," Jaishankar tweeted.

Read: EAM Jaishankar to visit three Central European countries from Sept 2-5

India has been closely monitoring the unfolding developments in Afghanistan. Indian Ambassador to Qatar Deepak Mittal met senior Taliban leader Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanekzai in Doha on Tuesday, in the first formal and pubicly acknowledged contact between the two sides.

The meeting took place at the Indian embassy in Doha at the request of the Taliban side and came two weeks after the outfit seized control of Kabul. India has been a key stakeholder in Afghanistan and it has invested nearly USD 3 billion in carrying out nearly 500 projects across Afghanistan.

The UN Security Council, under India's presidency, on Monday adopted a resolution demanding that the territory of Afghanistan not be used to threaten any country or shelter terrorists.

There have been mounting concerns in India over the possibility of rise in activities of various terror groups, including Lashkar-e-Toiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed, from Taliban-controlled Afghanistan.

Read: PM Modi asks Jaishankar, Doval, officials to focus on immediate priorities in Afghanistan

PTI