50 Indian diplomats, staff evacuated from Kandahar

New Delhi: India has pulled out around 50 diplomats and security personnel from its consulate in Kandahar in Afghanistan in view of the deteriorating security situation and the Taliban gaining control of new areas around the southern Afghan city, people familiar with the development said on Sunday.

A special aircraft of the Indian Air Force was sent on Saturday to bring back the Indian diplomats, officials and other staff members including a group of Indo-Tibetan Border Police personnel, they said.

External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said India-based personnel have been brought back for the time being in view of intense fighting near Kandahar city. Describing the pull out of the India-based personnel as a temporary measure, he said the consulate continues to operate through the local staff members. He said India is closely monitoring the evolving security situation in Afghanistan.

"The safety and security of our personnel is paramount. The consulate general of India in Kandahar has not been closed. However, due to the intense fighting near Kandahar city, India-based personnel have been brought back for the time being," Bagchi said. He was replying to a media query on the issue. "I want to emphasise that this is a purely temporary measure until the situation stabilises.

The consulate continues to operate through our local staff members," Bagchi said. He said arrangements are being made to ensure continued delivery of visa and consular services through the Indian embassy in Kabul.

"An important partner of Afghanistan, India remains committed to a peaceful, sovereign and democratic Afghanistan," the spokesperson said. India's move to temporarily bring back its Indian staff came in view of Taliban fighters rapidly seizing control of a number of key areas in the region as well as in western Afghanistan triggering huge security concerns.

On Tuesday, the Indian embassy in Kabul said there was no plan to close the embassy and the consulates in Kandahar and Mazar-e-Sharif.

Two days back, the Ministry of External said India was carefully monitoring the deteriorating security situation in Afghanistan and its implications on the safety and security of Indian nationals.

"Our response will be calibrated accordingly," External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Bagchi had said at a media briefing on Thursday.