News Analysis India

Tag: Kabul Crisis

  • UP: Shahjahanpur youth trapped in Afghanistan, BJP MP reaches out to MEA

    By PTI

    SHAHJAHANPUR: A youth from the district is trapped in Afghanistan and awaiting return to his native place, his family member said here on Friday.

    Jeet Bahdur Thapa (30), a resident of Chinaur here, had gone to Afghanistan for job two-and-a-half-years ago.

    He worked as a helper at a company in Kabul.

    “When the Taliban captured Afghanistan, they ordered 111 Indians to leave the company, after which all Indians walked 30 km to the embassy of a country, whose name he is not sure,” Thapa’s sister Santoshi Thapa told PTI.

    “In a telephonic conversation, he appeared very scared. He did not get food for two days. Today, he got food. He talks only for a minute and on the phone speaker all family members hear his voice. It appears that my brother is crying there,” she said.

    She said there are eight members in their family.

    “No one has slept in our house for the past four days. We remain awake in the night, praying to God for his well-being and safe return,” she said.

    BJP MP Arun Sagar told PTI over the phone that he is aware that a youth is trapped in Afghanistan and has spoken to the Delhi authorities in this regard.

    “The youth, Jeet Bahadur Thapa, will return safely,” he said.

  • Would like to go back to Kabul to teach when situation normalises, says Pune-based teacher on return

    By PTI

    PUNE: When Dr Parag Rabade started teaching at colleges in Kabul in 2014, he used to get scared of the sound of bomb blasts, which made him think of returning to India, but soon he got used to it and decided to stay put in order to educate the students there.

    However, earlier this week, he was left with no other option but to leave the war-ravaged country and return to India as Taliban insurgents swept into the Afghanistan capital on Sunday after the government collapsed and President Ashraf Ghani left the country.

    Rabade, 52, who has done a doctorate in computer science and management, was working in Afghanistan as part of a World Bank project, and started teaching in Kabul-based private colleges and other educational institutes eight years ago.

    He was among the Indians, who were brought back to the country in a special plane earlier this week.

    The Taliban swept into Kabul on Sunday after Afghan President Ashraf Ghani fled the country.

    Unprecedented scenes were witnessed in the Afghan capital, where panic-stricken people are scurrying to escape from the country.

    “Monday was very difficult. We kept getting information from the Indian embassy about the developments. However, Taliban reached Kabul earlier than expected. After that, I went to the airport, where I saw that everybody was scared. so was I. And when I was told that there is no plane at that time, it was left with no other option but to go to the embassy office,” he said on his return to Pune, his hometown.

    There was a curfew-like situation and everything was shut.

    When I reached the embassy office, many others were already there, he said.

    “Later, an Indian Air Force (IAF) plane reached Kabul, through which we 143 Indians and office-bearers and defence personnel returned to India,” he said.

    Talking about the situation in Afghanistan, Rabade said, “When I went there in 2014, I used to get scared after hearing bomb blasts. However, later he got used to it. Initially I thought of returning to India, but then I thought of educating students there and decided to stay.”

    Initially, around 30 per cent of the students were girls, but by 2020 this number increased to almost 50 per cent, he said.

    “Parents were allowing girls to get educated. Now I hope that Taliban will also let girls take education,” he said.

    Rabade also said that if given a chance I would like to return there to teach.

    “Over the years, I learned Persian language. So communication with the locals was not an issue. Now, students text me about uncertainty, but I try to give some positivity to themm. My family members are saying that they won’t let me go to Afghanistan now. But I wish that when the situation is back to normal, I want to go and continue teaching there,” he added.

  • ‘What have you done to protect India’s interests in Afghanistan?’ Congress asks Modi

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: The Congress on Wednesday asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to tell the nation what he has done to protect the interests of India after the Taliban captured power in Afghanistan.

    Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said the Taliban is a terrorist organisation which is linked to the Haqqani network in Pakistan, which indulge in anti-India terrorist acts with the help and support of the Pakistan government.

    He said the Taliban are patron of Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar and the Lashkar-e-Taiba and one wonders how the government will protect the interests of India as such terror organisations get emboldened when their patron assume power in Afghanistan.

    “When such violent terrorist organisations control Afghanistan, then terrorist organisations based in Pakistan directly get protection and what is the Indian government doing about it.

    Prime Minister Modi and Amit Shah ji should come forward and tell us,” he asked.

    Surjewala said India has always been in favour of a duly elected government in Afghanistan as women and children will get equal rights when democracy is there.

    “When the Taliban captured Afghanistan last time, everyone saw what heart-rendering treatment was given to women and minorities and all those speaking in favour of democracy. One shudders to even think of these events. Women all over the world are today worried about the Afghan women that their rights will be violated. We are also concerned about this,” he said.

    Recalling the IC-814 plane hijacking, he said the ministers in the then BJP government released Masood Azhar in Kandahar.

    “Did India not sign an agreement with the Taliban at the time. How an Indian delegation was sent to Doha for talks with the Taliban,” he said.

    Noting that the situation in Afghanistan is very serious, the Congress spokesperson said he had warned the Indian government that Afghanistan has become the regime of violent terrorist organisations and “we have to protect our interests”.

  • Afghanistan crisis: India to provide refuge to Sikh, Hindus; Jaishankar meets Guterres

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday directed officials to ensure safe evacuation of all Indian citizens from Afghanistan and to provide refuge to Sikhs and Hindus wanting to come to India from there, as he chaired a crucial high-level meeting in the backdrop of the Taliban takeover of the war-torn country, sources said.

    Chairing a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security, Modi also said India must provide all possible help to its Afghan brothers and sisters who are looking towards India for assistance, official sources said.

    Modi directed officials concerned to undertake all necessary measures to ensure safe evacuation of Indian nationals from Afghanistan in the coming days.

    The Cabinet Committee on Security is the apex government body that deals with the issues of national security.

    Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman attended the meeting, besides senior officials, including NSA Ajit Doval, Cabinet Secretary Rajeev Gauba, Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla and India’s Ambassador to Afghanistan Rudrendra Tandon.

    Tandon was on the evacuation flight from Kabul that landed in Jamnagar earlier on Tuesday.

    External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar could not attend the meeting as he is not in the country.

    According to sources, the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) was briefed in detail on the current and evolving security and political situation in Afghanistan.

    The CCS was also briefed on the recent evacuations of Indian Embassy officials and some members of the Indian community, as well as some members of Indian media.

    India has brought back the Indian ambassador Tandon and all staff members from its embassy in Kabul in two military transport aircraft in the wake of escalating tension and deteriorating security situation in the Afghan capital after its takeover by the Taliban.

    A military transport aircraft of the Indian Air Force brought back from Kabul around 150 people including Indian diplomats, officials, security personnel and some stranded Indians on Tuesday.

    Another flight had evacuated around 40 staffers from Kabul on Monday.

    Earlier on Tuesday, the MEA said that the immediate priority for the government is to obtain accurate information about all Indian nationals currently staying in Afghanistan.

    Soon after the second military aircraft landed in Hindon completing a two-phase evacuation mission, Jaishankar, who is in New York on a four-day visit, said the evacuation of the Indian embassy staff from Kabul was a “difficult and complicated” exercise.

    While Jaishankar spoke to his American counterpart Antony Blinken, NSA Doval had a conversation with President Joe Biden’s National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan on Monday evening on the evacuation of the Indian staff, people familiar with the matter said.

    In a tweet, Jaishankar said he thanked his French counterpart Jean-Yves Le Drian for evacuating 21 Indian nationals from Kabul to Paris.

    Sources said that both Jaishankar and Doval were involved in ensuring the smooth evacuation of around 190 Indian diplomats, officials and security personnel from the embassy in Kabul.

    Meanwhile,  External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Tuesday met UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres here and discussed the situation in war-torn Afghanistan.

    “Good to meet UN Secretary General @antonioguterres. Our discussions focused on Afghanistan, following upon the Security Council meeting yesterday,” Jaishankar said in a tweet.

    Jaishankar arrived in New York on Monday as the UN Security Council held an emergency meeting on the situation in Afghanistan, the second time in just over 10 days that the powerful UN body met under India’s Presidency for the month of August to discuss the rapidly deteriorating and unraveling situation in the war-torn country.

    “Significant UN Security Council discussions today on developments in Afghanistan. Expressed the concerns of the international community. Expect to discuss these during my engagements at the UN,” Jaishankar had tweeted on Monday.

    He also discussed the “latest developments” in Afghanistan with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and “underlined the urgency of restoring airport operations in Kabul. Deeply appreciate the American efforts underway in this regard.”

    State Department spokesperson Ned Price said that Blinken spoke with Jaishankar “today about Afghanistan and the developing situation there.”

    Jaishankar will chair two high-level signature events this week under India’s current Security Council Presidency and has said he expects to discuss the situation in Afghanistan during his engagements at the United Nations.

    As India assumed the Presidency of the 15-nation Council for the month of August, it had outlined maritime security, counter-terrorism and peacekeeping as the focus areas.

    Jaishankar will chair an open debate on August 18 on technology and peacekeeping under the overarching theme of ‘Protecting the Protectors’.

    India’s Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador T S Tirumurti said in a tweet that Jaishankar will participate in a ceremony at the UN Peacekeeping memorial in the UN headquarters along with Guterres.

    Jaishankar will also chair a high-level event on August 19 on counter-terrorism during which the Council will discuss the Secretary General’s six-monthly report on the threat posed by ISIL/Da’esh, under the agenda item ‘Threats to International Peace and Security caused by Terrorist Acts’.

    Prime Minister Narendra Modi had chaired the virtual high-level open debate on maritime security that was attended by Russian President Vladimir Putin and Blinken.

  • In touch with Sikhs taking shelter in gurudwara near Kabul, they’ll be brought to India soon: Puri

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: Union minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Tuesday said the Indian authorities are in touch with a group of Sikhs taking shelter in a gurudwara near Kabul in Afghanistan after the Taliban takeover of the country, and that they will be brought to India as soon as possible.

    Puri who was approached by BJP MP Hans Raj Hans for help to the Sikhs also discussed the issue with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar.

    “We have been in touch with the Sikh leaders and those in Afghanistan. They will be brought back safely as soon as possible,” Puri told PTI.

    Hans who hails from Punjab said that around 250 Sikhs of Indian origin are taking shelter in the gurudwara near Kabul and they are safe.

    “I met the Union minister Hardeep Puri Ji and requested for his help after which he talked to the external affairs minister and assured that the Indian origin Sikhs in Afghanistan will return to India after civilian flights restart,” Hans told PTI.

    The Indian authorities are in touch with them and ensuring their safety and safe return, added the North West Delhi MP.

  • For Afghan nationals in India, home is where there is no Taliban

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: The takeover of Kabul and other regions of Afghanistan by the Taliban has unleashed a wave of panic among Afghan nationals residing in India, who fear for the safety of their friends and families back home.

    Scared and heartbroken at the state of affairs in their homeland, students, working personnel and even unemployed Afghan nationals turned up at the Afghanistan embassy here on Tuesday to find out ways to ensure that they do not have to return to their country of birth.

    Mohammad Jawid was one of them.

    The 26-year-old first arrived in India six years ago with an aim of getting education that he hoped would help him bring about positive changes back in his country.

    Now, however, he hopes he never has to return home.

    “I had a dream of working for Afghanistan’s development after completing my education here, but now my future is uncertain as I think that Taliban do not need educated people like me,” he said.

    Currently residing in Delhi’s Lajpat Nagar area, Jawid pursued his BBA from Bengaluru, and is currently enrolled in an MBA programme at the Dayanand University here.

    He said that he was at the embassy to apply for a visa extension that expired on August 5.

    “I think that I will have to go back after completing my MBA, if I don’t get a visa. Everyone is disappointed due to what is happening in Afghanistan. Everything is uncertain,” he said.

    His visa, however, is not the only thing on his mind.

    His family – parents and seven siblings are all back home in Kabul that was seized by the Taliban on Sunday.

    Recalling his last call with his sister a few days ago, an anxious Jawid said, “The situation back home is very terrifying. I spoke to one of my sisters who is in class 12 and she said it felt like they were living in a prison.”

    “She said that all her hard work would go to waste if she’s not able to complete her education and pursue her dreams.”

    And, the worries have only been mounting.

    “Even if my family manages to leave Afghanistan, where will they go? Which country will accept them? Is there any place better than one’s own home? But, unfortunately, right now the priority is to stay alive. I just don’t know what to do,” Jawid said.

    Capping its month-long rapid advances, the Taliban took positions in Kabul hours after Afghan President Ashraf Ghani left the country on Sunday for an unknown destination, paving way for a bloodless takeover of the capital city but triggering fear, chaos and uncertainty among its residents.

    Also, facing the threat of deportation from India like Jawid is Khairullah Noori, who has been living in Ahmedabad with his family since 2018.

    The 25-year-old was at the embassy to renew his passport, and subsequently his visa that will lapse on August 29.

    “The validity of my passport has expired and I had an appointment to get a new one. We do not want to go back to Afghanistan. Our relatives are in Kabul, and they are extremely afraid due to the ongoing situation,” he said.

    Noori is currently pursuing a degree in BBA from Gujarat University.

    While his father does make a living from his job at a shoe factory in Ahmedabad, Noori largely has to depend on financial aid from his relatives in Canada for his education.

    The Taliban have been reported to have assured to do things differently this time around, including promising peace and inclusivity, but Noori, like most of his fellow Afghans back home, has little faith in the words of the Islamist fundamentalist group that wreaked havoc on the nation during their previous regime from 1996 to 2001.

    “Taliban has issues with us. They have their own rules. They are promising something now, but we know that they will impose their rules. They won’t let women come out of their homes,” he said.

    For Abdul Fatah and Hamid Azimi, both in their late thirties, a life of poverty in a foreign land, seems a better alternative to living like a captive in one’s own country.

    Fatah has been living in the East of Kailash here for over four years now with his family of four.

    Income has been irregular, but going back to Afghanistan is not even a consideration.

    “We do not have a regular income. Sometimes I manage to make some money by helping out other Afghans in Delhi who have language issues.”

    “But, we definitely don’t want to go back. People there cannot make decisions by themselves. They must follow the Taliban’s decision,” Fatah said.

    Azimi, who has been living in Tilak Nagar with his family since 2017, agreed, and added that they have been looking at employment opportunities in Turkey due to their deteriorating financial condition here.

    He was at the embassy to explore options for a Turkish visa, he said.

    Elaborating on the present circumstances in Afghanistan, 32-year-old Mohammad who is on a visit to India on a pre-existing appointment at the embassy preceding the Taliban takeover, said the situation in his country was only going to get worse.

    “Everything is banned, banks are closed and you cannot withdraw a single penny. My sister who is a cancer patient needs money for her treatment, but she can no longer access the bank, and unfortunately, her husband is currently out of the country.”

    “Her daughter who was a student at the Kabul university had to be escorted by male members of the family to ensure her safe return,” Mohammad said.

    In wake of the situation in Afghanistan, the security has been increased at the Afghan embassy, with Delhi Police personnel, along with paramilitary staff guarding the premises.

  • ‘People back home praying for everlasting peace’: Afghan students in Jammu

    By PTI

    JAMMU: Away from their country which is now under the control of the Taliban, a group of Afghans pursuing higher education in Jammu and Kashmir said on Tuesday that the people of Afghanistan are praying for everlasting peace and development.

    They expressed their desire for continuation of good relations with India and support of the international community in rebuilding the war-torn nation.

    Rohullah Fazili and several other students from Afghanistan are pursuing Ph.D in Agronomy at Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agriculture Sciences and Technology of Jammu (SKUAST-Jammu) for nearly two years.

    “I talked to my parents back home in Kabul (following the Taliban takeover) and came to know that it is normal at the moment and there was no report of violence,” Fazili told PTI over phone from his campus.

    He said the people of Afghanistan are praying for everlasting peace and development.

    “I am living here with my wife and children after I was cleared by the previous government for the three-year Ph.D. I have still one year to complete my course,” Fazili, an employee in the Agriculture Ministry in Afghanistan, said, hoping to complete his studies before returning to his country.

    Though he avoided direct answers to queries related to the Taliban takeover of the country, Fazili expressed hope that the good relations between India and Afghanistan would continue for the benefit of the people of his country.

    Rahmat Gul, another Ph.D student in Agronomy, said they have many hopes from India.

    “Afghanistan needs support on its path to peace, prosperity and development. Many countries like India have come forward for its rebuilding and reconstruction in the past. India is a friendly country and has been in the forefront of capacity building of our people and therefore we want the good relations with it to continue and grow stronger in future,” he said.

    Gul said, “They are hopeful that the dust of the war will settle down and Afghanistan will turn into an abode of peace with the grace of Allah.”

    Atal Hameed, a resident of Nangarhar province in eastern part of Afghanistan who is doing his doctorate in Vegetable science, said his family had informed him that “everything is normal there”.

    “I came to know from my family that everything is normal there. Schools and offices are open and even girls are attending their classes,” he claimed.

    He said India has made a huge investment in the progress of Afghanistan and the good relations between the two countries are in the interest of the people of Afghanistan.

    “We want peaceful, stable and internationally recognised Afghanistan. We want developmental activities to continue and my personal opinion is that an elected government should be at the helm of affairs,” Hameed said.

    Meanwhile, dry fruit merchants in Jammu said the fast-changing situation in Afghanistan has led to a spike in prices of the products.

    “Almond kernels have recorded a steep rise of Rs 400 to Rs 600 per kg, while the rates for other items such as pistachios, apricots, cashew, raisin and fig have also marked an increase over the past fortnight,” Raman Gupta, a dry fruit dealer outside the famous Raghunath temple, said.

    He said Afghanistan serves as the hub of quality dry fruits and “we are hopeful that the prices will come down once the situation eases there.”

  • MEA sets up Afghanistan cell to coordinate repatriation of Sikhs and Hindus

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has set up an ‘Afghanistan Cell’ to coordinate repatriation and related matters in the backdrop of the Taliban seizing control of the country.

    The announcement by MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi on setting up of the Cell came on Monday night hours after he said that India will facilitate the repatriation of Sikhs and Hindus who wish to leave the war-torn country.

    “#MEA has set up a Special Afghanistan Cell to coordinate repatriation and other requests from Afghanistan,” Bagchi said on Twitter.

    He also put out the contact details to reach out to the Cell.

    (Phone number: +919717785379 Email: HYPERLINK “mailto:[email protected]”[email protected]).

    “We are in constant touch with the representatives of Afghan Sikh and Hindu communities.”

    “We will facilitate repatriation to India of those who wish to leave Afghanistan,” the MEA spokesperson said earlier in the day.

    “There are also a number of Afghans who have been our partners in the promotion of our mutual developmental, educational and people to people endeavours. We will stand by them,” he said.

  • Will stand by our Afghan partners; take all steps for safety of Indians, says MEA as ITBP to guard diplomats

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: India on Monday said it will “stand by” its Afghan partners, take all steps for the security of Indians and its interests in Afghanistan and facilitate the repatriation of Sikhs and Hindus who wish to leave the war-torn country, in its first reaction following the takeover of Kabul by the Taliban.

    As Kabul fell to the Taliban, India’s defence top brass, the foreign policy establishment and senior intelligence officials reviewed the fast-paced developments in Afghanistan and their possible ramifications for New Delhi as well as the region in a series of meetings on Monday.

    In a related development, an Indian Air Force heavy-lift transport aircraft that had left for Afghanistan late last night and reached that country using Iranian airspace returned from Kabul to India with a number of Indians, people familiar with the developments said.

    However, there was no official confirmation on it.

    External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said the situation in Afghanistan is being monitored on a constant basis at high levels and that suspension of commercial operations at Kabul airport has forced a pause in India’s repatriation efforts.

    Capping its month-long rapid advances, the Taliban took positions in Kabul on Sunday evening hours after Afghan President Ashraf Ghani left for an unknown destination, paving the way for the takeover of the capital as well as the country.

    “The security situation in Kabul has deteriorated significantly in the last few days. It is changing rapidly even as we speak. The Government of India has been closely monitoring all developments in Afghanistan,” he said.

    Bagchi was replying to media queries on the situation in Afghanistan following the takeover of the country by the Taliban.

    “We are in constant touch with the representatives of Afghan Sikh and Hindu communities. We will facilitate repatriation to India of those who wish to leave Afghanistan,” the MEA spokesperson said.

    “There are also a number of Afghans who have been our partners in the promotion of our mutual developmental, educational and people to people endeavours. We will stand by them,” he said.

    Bagchi said India is waiting for the resumption of flights to restart the repatriation process.

    “Commercial operations from Kabul airport have been suspended today. This has forced a pause in our repatriation efforts. We are awaiting the resumption of flights to restart the process,” he said.

    “The situation in Afghanistan is being monitored on a constant basis at high levels. The Government will take all steps to ensure the safety and security of Indian nationals and our interests in Afghanistan,” Bagchi added.

    The MEA spokesperson also referred to periodic advisories issued by the Indian embassy in Kabul for the safety and security of Indian nationals in that country, including calling for their immediate return to India.

    “We had circulated emergency contact numbers and had also been extending assistance to community members. We are aware that there are still some Indian nationals in Afghanistan who wish to return and we are in touch with them,” he said.

    India along with many other countries was surprised at the lightning advances made by the Taliban across Afghanistan in capturing power after the US began pulling out its troops on May 1 from the country, ahead of the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks.

    “Definitely, we did not expect Kabul to fall so soon,” said an official on the condition of anonymity.

    People cited above said India will issue visas to all the Afghan nationals who were partnering it in various developmental projects and activities.

    They said India was planning to send another C-17 aircraft to Afghanistan on Monday as part of the evacuation mission.

    Thousands of desperate people converged at the Kabul international airport on Monday in hopes of getting on an evacuation flight and leave the country.

    The airport has already been shut for commercial flights and subsequently, the US military has taken control of the airport security to facilitate the evacuation of foreign diplomats and citizens.

    India has been a key stakeholder in Afghanistan and it has invested nearly USD 3 billion in carrying out nearly 500 projects across that country.

    The Taliban takeover of Afghanistan is largely seen as a setback for India as the militant outfit has been strongly backed by Pakistan’s military.

    Meanwhile, an armed contingent of paramilitary force Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) is “actively” securing the diplomatic staff of the Indian embassy in Afghanistan’s capital Kabul and will be there “till required”, officials said on Monday as the Taliban took over the country.

    The officials said the force personnel are among the last of the diplomatic staff of the embassy who are present in the country.

    The security unit of the ITBP is actively securing the embassy staffers.

    They will carry out their duties till it is required, the officials said.

    They refused to divulge the strength of the people and the armed security personnel owing to the sensitivity of the fast-changing situation in Afghanistan.

    The ITBP was first deployed to secure the premises of the India embassy in Kabul, diplomats and staffers in November, 2002.

    It later sent additional detachments to guard the Indian consulates located in Jalalabad, Kandahar, Mazar-e-Sharif and Herat.

    The contingents from the consulates have already been withdrawn after the consulates were shut recently due to the current crisis in the war-ravaged country and also due to a negligible footfall as the coronavirus pandemic gripped the globe.

    In its first reaction to the developments in Afghanistan, India on Monday said it is constantly monitoring the situation and will take all steps to ensure the safety and security of its nationals as well as its interests in that country.

    “The situation in Afghanistan is being monitored on a constant basis at high levels. The government will take all steps to ensure the safety and security of Indian nationals and our interests in Afghanistan,” Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said.

    Capping its month-long rapid advances, the Taliban took positions in Kabul on Sunday evening, hours after Afghan President Ashraf Ghani left for an unknown destination, paving the way for the takeover of the capital as well as the country.

    “The security situation in Kabul has deteriorated significantly in the last few days. It is changing rapidly even as we speak,” Bagchi said.

    Many Hindus and Sikhs have taken refuge in Kabul’s Karte Parwan gurdwara after Afghanistan fell into the hands of the Taliban, DSGMC president Manjinder Singh Sirsa claimed on Monday.

    The Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee chief said he was in touch with the president of the Gurdwara Committee of Kabul regarding the safety of minorities, including Hindus and Sikhs in that country.

    “I am in constant touch with the president of Gurdwara Committee of Kabul and the Sangat who have told me that 320 plus people, including 50 Hindus and 270 plus Sikhs, have taken refuge in Karte Parwan gurdwara in Kabul in wake of recent developments.

    “Taliban leaders have met them and assured them of their safety. We are hopeful that Hindus and Sikhs would be able to live a safe and secure life despite political and military changes happening in Afghanistan,” Sirsa said.

    Capping its month-long rapid advances, the Taliban took positions in Kabul hours after Afghan President Ashraf Ghani left the country on Sunday for an unknown destination, paving way for a bloodless takeover of the capital city but triggering fear, chaos and uncertainty among its residents.

    On Monday, thousands of desperate people converged at the Kabul International Airport in hopes of getting on an evacuation flight and leaving the country.