Contingency plans ready to airlift Indian officials and citizens from Afghanistan

India has a fleet of C-17 Globemaster military transport aircraft of the air force on standby to evacuate hundreds of its officials and citizens from Kabul, following reports of Taliban fighters entering the outskirts of the Afghan capital city on Sunday.

People familiar with the development said the government will not put the lives of its staffers at the Indian embassy and Indian citizens in Kabul at any risk and plans have already been finalised in case they require emergency evacuation.

“The government is closely monitoring the fast-paced developments in Afghanistan. We will not put the lives of our staff at the Indian embassy in Kabul at any risk,” said one of the persons familiar with the development.

Specifically asked when the Indian staffers and citizens in Kabul will be evacuated, they said decisions will depend on the ground situation.

Also read: Taliban fighters on standby at Kabul as Afghanistan heads for ‘power transfer’

According to reports from Kabul, Taliban fighters have entered the outskirts of the city, triggering panic and fear among the residents.

In the last few days, the Taliban fighters have swept through most parts of Afghanistan, seizing control of around 25 of the 34 provincial capitals, including cities such as Kandahar, Herat, Mazar-e-Sharif and Jalalabad.

The BBC reported from Kabul, quoting the country’s acting interior minister, that a peaceful transfer of power to the transitional government is being prepared.

As the situation deteriorated in Kabul, the United States and the embassies of several other countries began evacuating their staff from the Afghan city.