New Delhi: According to a report, India has drawn up a contingency plan to evacuate hundreds of its officers and civilians from Kabul amid fears and panic over a possible Taliban takeover in the Afghan capital.
People with knowledge of the details of the development told that the Indian government is committed not to risk the lives of its employees at the Indian embassy in Kabul and other Indian nationals, with plans already in place if emergency evacuation is required. has been finalized, news agency PTI reported.
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“The government is closely monitoring the rapid developments in Afghanistan. We will not risk the lives of our employees at the Indian Embassy in Kabul,” a source was quoted as saying by PTI.
It was informed that the decision regarding evacuation of Indian employees and civilians in Kabul would depend on the situation on the ground.
A fleet of C-17 Globemaster military transport aircraft of the Indian Air Force has reportedly been kept on standby to begin the evacuation mission.
Additionally, news agency ANI reported that the security and boarding process of an Air India flight is underway at Kabul airport in Afghanistan. The agency quoted sources as saying that the flight will return to Delhi tonight with full load of passengers.
Meanwhile, according to media reports, Taliban insurgents entered the outskirts of the capital on Sunday, causing panic and fear among residents.
Within days, the Taliban swept major parts of Afghanistan, capturing about 25 of the 34 provincial capitals, including major cities such as Kandahar, Herat, Mazar-i-Sharif and Jalalabad.
The Afghan Presidential Palace assured on Twitter that the situation in Kabul was under control and that it had not been attacked, although there have been incidents of sporadic gunfire.
It added that Afghan security forces are working with their international allies to ensure the security of Kabul.
“Kabul has not been attacked. The country’s security and defense forces are working closely with international partners to ensure the city’s security and the situation is under control,” the statement said in Pashto.
Earlier today, the Associated Press quoted an Afghan official as saying Taliban negotiators were heading to Rashtrapati Bhavan to prepare for a “transfer” of power.
Afghan President Ashraf Ghani urged government forces to maintain law and order in Kabul, AFP reported.
A Taliban spokesman has told the agency that they want a peaceful transfer of power in Afghanistan “in the next few days”.
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