'Gift from India': Afghanistan envoy tweets after Indian medical aid reaches Kabul

The first shipment of 1.6 metric tonnes of life-saving medicines from India arrived in Kabul on Saturday, December 11. Expressing his gratitude to India for the supply of essential medical aid, Afghan ambassador to the country, Farid Mamundzay, said, "All kids need is a little help, a little hope and somebody who believes in them."

Calling the shipment a "gift from the people of India", Mamundzay informed in a tweet that the 1.6 metric tonnes of life-saving medicines will help many families "in this difficult time."

'Thank you India': Afghan ambassador tweets after medical aid reaches Kabul 

Notably, this was the first direct flight from New Delhi to Kabul since the Taliban's conquest of Afghanistan in August this year. Apart from essential medical supplies, India is also focusing on sending wheat to Afghanistan, which faces a major humanitarian crisis coupled with drought and the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Stating that it was great to see the first direct flight between Kabul and New Delhi, Ambassador Mamundzay, tweeted, "Over 200 passengers travelled in both direction together with 1.6 metric tonne of medical aid sent to an Afghan children hospital in Kabul. Emotional feelings & scenes. Thank u India! (sic)"

Operation Devi Shakti

According to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), a special flight took 10 Indians and 94 Afghans, including members of the Hindu-Sikh minority community, from Afghanistan to the national capital on Friday as part of Operation Devi Shakti, an Indian-led evacuation effort.

According to the MEA, 669 persons have been evacuated from Afghanistan as part of "Operation Devi Shakti." Hundreds of Indians and Afghans, including members of the Afghan Hindu/Sikh minority, are part of this group. In the month of August 2021, 565 persons were evacuated from Afghanistan, including 438 Indians.

MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi, saying that under Operation Devi Shakti a special Kam Air flight arranged by India has arrived in New Delhi from Kabul, had informed in a tweet that 10 Indians and 94 Afghans including members of the Afghan Hindu-Sikh minority community arrived in the flight.  There were nine children, including three infants, among the evacuees.

(Image: @FMamundzay/Twitter)