Hyderabad: All Indian citizens in Kabul awaiting evacuation are safe. They were offered lunch and have now left for Kabul airport, government sources said on Saturday afternoon (IST). The announcement comes after media outlets reported that about 150 people, mainly Indians, who were en route to the Kabul airport, were reportedly kidnapped by the Taliban.
People, closely tracking the developments in Kabul, said the Indian nationals were stopped and taken to an unknown location near the Kabul airport by the Taliban for questioning and verification of travel documents, triggering some confusion and concerns in India.
Kabul Now, a news portal, initially reported that the group was 'abducted' by the Taliban fighters but it later updated the report saying all the people were released and on their way back to the Kabul airport.
Ahmadullah Waseq, a Taliban spokesman had denied this report to a member of the Afghan media which reported the story. He informed one of the senior Afghan journalists that the Indians were not abducted, rather they were taken safely into the airport.
Also read: Indians among 150 people awaiting evacuation kidnapped by Taliban: Reports
Meanwhile, India on Saturday evacuated around 80 countrymen from Kabul by a transport military aircraft of the Indian Air Force. India has already evacuated 200 people so far.
On Saturday, an Indian Air Force C-130J transport aircraft, took off from Kabul with over 85 Indians, sources said. The aircraft landed in Tajikistan for refuelling. Indian government officials are helping in the evacuation of Indian citizens on the ground in Kabul. The Government of India has been working closely with the US government to facilitate the movement of the IAF transport aircraft to Kabul.
