Hyderabad: Multiple Afghan media outlets reported that the Taliban have kidnapped at least 150 people, mostly Indians, awaiting evacuation from Kabul. The Taliban, however, denied the allegation saying they only "safely" escorting the people to the airport. A source in the Ministry of External Affairs said all Indian nationals are safe.
Earlier, an eyewitness told Al-Itteha Rooz, a daily, that Taliban affiliates had taken more than 150 people, most of them Indians, from near the Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul. The sources said these people included a number of Afghan citizens and Afghan Sikhs, but most of them were ordinary Indian citizens.
According to the source, who was among the people who managed to escape, they had gone to the airport in eight caster-type vehicles, but could not enter the airport due to lack of co-ordination. He said that Taliban members came to their side and, after beating several of them, took them all to Tarkhil. He said he and his wife threw themselves out of the car on the way and managed to escape. He said only a few others were able to escape but he did not know the fate of the others. According to him, the Taliban told the people that they were being taken to the airport through another gate, but it was not clear if they had been taken inside the airport or transferred to another location.
Ahmadullah Waseq, a Taliban spokesman denied this report to a member of the Afghan media which reported the story. Speaking to one of the senior Afghan journalists, the Taliban spokesperson said, "We didn’t abduct Indians near Kabul airport, rather we took them safely into the airport. Those with Indian passports will be taken to the Hamid Karzai International airport, he said. Local media, too, reported that the Indian nationals are safe at a garage near the Kabul airport.
Also read: Taliban co-founder Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar arrives in Kabul for talks on setting up govt
Though India's Ministry of External Affairs is yet to officially confirm the same, a source said that all Indian nationals are safe and the authorities are in touch with them. 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.
