India pulls officials from Afghanistan's Kandahar as Taliban widen control

Published July 11, 2021
In this file photo, Afghan security forces inspect the site of a car bomb attack in Kandahar, Afghanistan on July 6, 2021. — Reuters/File
In this file photo, Afghan security forces inspect the site of a car bomb attack in Kandahar, Afghanistan on July 6, 2021. — Reuters/File

India said on Sunday it had temporarily brought back officials from its consulate in Kandahar, a major city in southern Afghanistan, as Taliban fighters continue to gain control amid the withdrawal of international forces.

"Due to the intense fighting near Kandahar city, India-based personnel have been brought back for the time being," Arindam Bagchi, chief spokesperson at India's foreign ministry, said in a statement.

Bagchi said, "India is closely monitoring the evolving security situation in Afghanistan," adding that the country's consulate in Kandahar was being run by local staff temporarily.

Taliban officials said on Friday that they had taken control of 85 per cent of Afghanistan's territory, as the US and others withdraw the bulk of their troops after 20 years of fighting.

Afghan government officials dismissed the assertion as a propaganda campaign.

India's foreign minister on Friday called for a reduction of violence, saying the situation in the war-torn nation has a direct bearing on regional security.

Opinion

Editorial

Back in parliament
Updated 27 Jul, 2024

Back in parliament

It is ECP's responsibility to set right all the wrongs it committed in the Feb 8 general elections.
Upholding rights
27 Jul, 2024

Upholding rights

EVEN a perceived threat to civil rights and freedom of expression undermines democracy; it impedes the enforcement ...
Brutal crime
27 Jul, 2024

Brutal crime

THE horrific incident of a woman allegedly gang-raped in front of her husband and three-year-old daughter near...
Judicial constraints
Updated 26 Jul, 2024

Judicial constraints

The fact that it is being prescribed by the legislature will be questioned, given the political context.
Macabre spectacle
26 Jul, 2024

Macabre spectacle

Israel knows that regardless of the party that wins the presidency, America’s ‘ironclad’ support for its genocidal endeavours will continue.