The first batch of 45 was evacuated on Monday, in another IAF C-17, but the second couldn’t amidst the chaos on the streets of Kabul and in the airport itself, Hindustan Times reports.
External affairs minister S Jaishankar spoke to US secretary of state Antony Blinken early on Tuesday to seek American assistance in getting Indians evacuated from Kabul, even as a second batch of members of the Indian mission including Ambassador Rudrendra Tandon left the Afghan capital in an Indian Air Force C-17.
The first batch of 45 was evacuated on Monday, in another IAF C-17, but the second couldn’t amidst the chaos on the streets of Kabul and in the airport itself.
After Turkey backed off from manning the Hamid Karzai International Airport, it is being technically manned by the US forces with air traffic control and perimeter under American security cover.
The US secretary of state also assured Jaishankar, who is currently in New York, of full support in future evacuations through civilian flights. Later, on Tuesday, Jaishankar spoke with UNSC members to evolve a broader consensus on the Afghanistan issue. He was also expected to meet with UN secretary-general Antonio Guterres on the same issue.
Given the chaos in Kabul, EAM Jaishankar is working with the Americans to get the HKI airport ready to receive civilian flights so that Indians and others are evacuated from the strife-torn nation. “ Our priorities are Indians working in Afghanistan, Indians who went to Afghanistan despite our advisory, Indians who were employed by US and European contractors to work in Afghanistan, the civilian population of Indian origin and Afghan friends with traditional links with our country …. E-visas will be issued to those who don’t have documents to travel on application,” said an official who asked not to be named.
Before Jaishankar spoke to Blinken, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval also talked to his US counterpart Jake Sullivan on phone to discuss the evacuation of second batch of Indian diplomats and officials from Kabul.The two also discussed ways to stabilise strife torn Afghanistan.