Punjab CM expresses happiness as IAF safely evacuates 209 Indians from Afghanistan's Kabul

After India evacuated approximately 300 natives from Afghanistan's capital Kabul, Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh took to Twitter and appreciated the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). He wrote, "Happy to note that 209 Indian nationals were safely evacuated and flown to Delhi this morning, along with other evacuees, of whom 24 are Afghan Sikhs." The Punjab CM has been informed that the MEA is working on evacuating another 222 Afghan Sikhs and Hindus. Praying for the safety of all, he added. 

On Sunday, approximately 300 Indians returned from Afghanistan. In light of the increasing security situation in Afghanistan's capital, Kabul, this was done as part of India's evacuation operation. People involved in the situation confirmed this.

After the Taliban seized control of Kabul, India evacuated 200 individuals, including the Indian envoy and other embassy employees, in two C-17 heavy-lift transport aircraft of the Indian Air Force. Over 40 passengers were evacuated on the first flight, and the majority of them were employees of the Indian consulate. On Tuesday, the second C-17 aircraft evacuated 150 individuals from Kabul, including Indian diplomats, officials, security staff, and other stranded Indians. With US assistance, the mission to evacuate about 200 Indians was completed. According to a conservative estimate, there could be roughly 400 Indians stranded in Afghanistan, and India has been looking into evacuating them, including working with the US and other friendly countries.

Taliban takeover

As US troops retreated after 20 years from war-ravaged Afghanistan, the Taliban launched an offensive taking over cities like Kandahar, Herat, and Lashkar Gah, gradually encircling the government in Kabul. Kandahar and Herat fell on Thursday, forcing government officials and their entourage to flee to the airport to escape the city by air, Mazar-e-Sharif fell on Friday, August 14, while Jalalabad and Lashkar Gah on Saturday, August 15, thereby strengthening the Taliban's stronghold.

The long-standing war in Afghanistan reached a watershed moment on Sunday when the Taliban insurgents closed in on Afghanistan's capital Kabul, entered the city and took over the presidential palace, forcing President Ashraf Ghani to join fellow citizens and foreigners in leaving the country.

Image Credit: Twitter- @MEAIndia, Capt_Amarinder