Indian Embassy in Kabul safe, operational

The Indian embassy in Kabul is currently safe and operational, an Indian government official has said.

The Government of India has also disbursed the salary of local employees on time, the official added.

"Maintenance charges and the salaries of local staff in the Indian embassy in Kabul is being given on time by the Government of India," a top government official was quoted as saying.

The Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) is also receiving communication from the Kabul embassy regularly, ensuring that the embassy was also secure. However, the report also suggests that Kabul banks are not entirely operational due to the ongoing tension. Therefore, the embassy staff may face trouble in withdrawing the money.

"Some Indians are still left in Afghanistan (Kabul), and the Indian government is making an effort for their safe evacuation, but Kabul airport is shut, and the Taliban also bar plane movement," the official said.

Re-evacuation operations from Kabul are likely soon for the remaining Indians who are stranded in Kabul. For this, Delhi is in constant touch with Kabul and the Indian Embassy staff, the MEA said.

India has evacuated over 550 people either from Kabul or Dushanbe. "Of these, over 260 were Indians. The government of India also facilitated the evacuation of Indian nationals through other agencies. We were in touch with various countries, like the US, Tajikistan," an MEA spokesperson had earlier stated.

(ANI)