India rushes to secure citizens in Afghanistan

As Taliban fighters began entering Kabul on Sunday following the collapse of President Ashraf Ghani’s government, Indian authorities scrambled to pull out hundreds of diplomats and citizens still in Afghanistan

As Taliban fighters began entering Kabul on Sunday following the collapse of President Ashraf Ghani’s government, Indian authorities scrambled to pull out hundreds of diplomats and citizens still in Afghanistan.

Passengers from Kabul arrive at New Delhi airport on Sunday. (Sanjeev Verma/HT photo)

The speed of the Taliban’s advance into the capital again took most countries by surprise, though people familiar with developments said the Indian side was well prepared for all contingencies. The Indian Air Force’s heavy lift aircraft, especially the C-17 Globemasters, have been on round-the-clock standby for several days and could be pressed into service at short notice for an evacuation.

The Indian side had been anticipating the Taliban advance into Kabul would take a few more days, and reports about the entry of fighters into the city on Sunday as Ghani and his close aides reportedly fled to Tajikistan triggered hectic consultations, the people cited above said on condition of anonymity.

The government is closely monitoring the rapidly evolving situation in Afghanistan to decide on the evacuation of diplomatic personnel from Kabul, the people said.

Specific plans for all contingencies are already in place and all steps will be taken to ensure that the staff of the Indian embassy in Kabul and Indian nationals are not at any risk, the people added.

Plans are also in place for the destruction and retrieval of documents and computers at the Indian embassy, which is the only functional mission in Afghanistan following the withdrawal of staff from the consulates in Herat, Jalalabad, Mazar-e-Sharif and Kandahar over the past year. There was no official word from the external affairs ministry to the latest developments in Afghanistan. New Delhi has consistently said it is opposed to any attempt to forcibly capture power in Kabul.

Taliban fighters began entering Kabul from all sides without facing any resistance by late on Sunday afternoon.