Will resume Afghanistan evacuation operations once Kabul airport reopens: Arindam Bagchi, MEA spokesperson

(Image: AFP)

Government of India will resume operations to evacuate Indian nationals from Taliban-controlled Afghanistan once the Kabul airport is reopened, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said on September 2.

News agency ANI quoted him as saying: “Currently, Kabul airport is not operational. We will resume our operation to evacuate people from Kabul as soon the airport service resume.”

Commenting on how the rest of the Indians stranded in Afghanistan will be brought back to the country, he said: “We will be able to revisit this issue once operations at Kabul airport resume. Most Indians have left Afghanistan.”

When questioned on what kind of government the Taliban might form in Afghanistan, Bagchi said: “We are not aware of any detail or nature of what kind of government could be formed in Afghanistan. I have no update on our meeting with the Taliban.”

He added that India aims to ensure that “Afghanistan’s land is never used for terror activity of any kind”.

The MEA spokesperson's statement came hours after Taliban rulers said they were preparing to unveil their new government as the economy teetered on the edge of collapse more than two weeks after the Islamist militia captured Kabul.

Meanwhile, The Taliban approved Afghanistan's first Test match since their takeover and the Under-19 cricket team has left already for Bangladesh to play five ODIs and one four-day Test series against Bangladesh.