India again asks nationals to leave Afghanistan
People familiar with developments said on condition of anonymity that the three engineers were at a dam site in a Taliban controlled area.
The Indian embassy in Kabul on Thursday again advised Indians in Afghanistan to return home in view of the deteriorating security situation, saying three engineers who remained at a project site not controlled by Afghan forces had required an “emergency air rescue”.
People familiar with developments said on condition of anonymity that the three engineers were at a dam site in a Taliban controlled area. Further details of the emergency air rescue, such as the area and when it was carried out, could not immediately be ascertained.
The security advisory from the Indian embassy was the fourth such alert issued since June 29 and reiterated the call for Indian nationals in Afghanistan to make immediate arrangements to return home via commercial air services. It also reiterated a warning to avoid non-essential travel because of a serious threat of kidnapping.
The advisory pointed to the case of the three Indian engineers and said those ignoring the embassy’s advisories were putting themselves in “mortal danger”.
“A recent case that required emergency air rescue of three Indian engineers who remained at a dam project site, in an area not under the control of government forces, has brought to light that Indian nationals receiving this embassy’s advisories are not heeding its advice and continue to put themselves in mortal danger,” the alert said.
The Indian embassy underscored the “need for all Indian nationals to fully adhere to steps” in previous security advisories.
It also referred to the killing of photojournalist Danish Siddiqui by the Taliban in the border town of Spin Boldak on July 16 and said Indian reporters visiting Afghanistan faced additional risks.
“Special attention is once again drawn to members of the Indian media arriving in Afghanistan for ground reporting. As a recent tragic incident demonstrated, the public profile of Indian journalists in Afghanistan entails additional risks,” the advisory said.
The embassy advised members of the Indian media to take “additional security measures for their stay and movements inside Afghanistan, including tying up of interviews and planned coverage before arrival in Afghanistan”. Indian reporters travelling to Afghanistan should also identify well established security logistic firms who can make arrangements for their stay and movement, it added.
Reports emerging after Siddiqui’s death have suggested he was captured and killed by the Taliban.
According to information provided by the government in Parliament last week, there were some 1,500 Indian nationals in Afghanistan. Officials said this figure has come down as many Indians have returned in recent days.