NewsGate Press Network

By Vineet Dikshit

India today said situation in Afghanistan continues to be of concern.

There are no plans to shut down the Indian Embassy in Kabul.

On Thursday, 12 August 2021, the official spokesperson for Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), Arindam Bagchi said any Indians who are still in Afghanistan should fly back home immediately with the first available commercial flight. Few of them are still operating from Kabul.

During its weekly media briefing, the MEA spokesperson, while answering a question from NewsGate on whether Indian Government has done any assessment ‘on how soon Kabul might fall into the hands of Taliban’, Arindam Bagchi categorically stated that “such reports are speculations” and Indian government would not like to address it (as of now).

India hopes that there will be immediate and comprehensive ceasefire and peace returns to Afghanistan, the MEA spokesperson added

Reacting to news that some development projects that were erected there with Indian assistance are now on Taliban’s hit list, the MEA spokesperson hoped “that (all such projects) do not get damaged and continue to provide benefit” to the people of Afghanistan.

As reported earlier, Indian Embassy has evacuated all its staff from the Consulate at Mazar-e-Sharif.

Reports reaching Delhi late on Thursday evening speak of Taliban gaining further foothold in Afghan territory.

Ghazni has also fallen and is now under Taliban control. Kabul is just 130 km south-west of Ghazni.