New Delhi: In the wake of the violence perpetrated by the Taliban insurgent groups, the Indian embassy in Kabul on Tuesday urgently issued a security advisory asking Indian nationals in Afghanistan to make immediate travel arrangements to return to India before commercial air services are discontinued in Afghanistan.
The advisory noted that as violence in many parts of Afghanistan has escalated, commercial air travel services for many provinces and cities are getting discontinued, "All Indian nationals visiting, staying and working in Afghanistan are strongly advised to keep themselves updated on the availability of commercial flights from various parts of Afghanistan and make immediate travel arrangements to return to India before commercial air services are discontinued to their place of stay in Afghanistan”.
The advisory was issued immediately after the Indian Consulate General of India, Mazar-e-Sharif in Afghanistan on Tuesday asked the Indian nationals in and around Mazar-e-Sharif to leave for India in the special flight scheduled to depart late today evening. The Taliban has so far captured six provincial capitals in Afghanistan and are setting sights on Mazar, which is the fifth-largest city of Afghanistan and the largest in the north.
Further, the advisory urged the Indian companies in Afghanistan to immediately withdraw their Indian employees out of project sites in Afghanistan before air travel services get discontinued.
“Indian nationals working for Afghan or foreign companies in Afghanistan should immediately request their employer to facilitate their travel from project sites to India”, it added.
The embassy said the security advisory was also valid for Indian media personnel in Afghanistan, who should establish contact with the mission’s public affairs and security wing for a personalized briefing, including specific advice for the location they are travelling to. This, added, will help the media make a better assessment of “risks involved, given the rapid changes in security situation taking place in different parts of the country”.
According to reports, there are currently some 1500 Indian nationals in Afghanistan and most of them are workers and professionals engaged in different projects implemented by the Indian government in the war-torn nation.
Read: Amid Taliban offensive, India is evacuating nationals, staff from Mazar-e-Sharif
