Afghanistan crisis: Around 300 evacuated Indian nationals likely to land in India today

Air India flight carrying 87 evacuated Indians has already departed from Tajikistan for New Delhi.

Photo: Twitter@MEAIndia

New Delhi: As part of India's evacuation mission in view of the Taliban taking the control of Afghanistan, around 300 Indian nationals are likely to land in India today (August 22, 2021). Eighty-seven Indians who were on Saturday taken to Tajikistan capital Dushanbe from Kabul on board a military transport aircraft of the Indian Air Force are being brought back to the country in a special Air India flight from the central Asian city early on Sunday. 

External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi informed that two Nepalese citizens are also coming to India on board the Air India flight.

"Bringing Indians home from Afghanistan! AI 1956 carrying 87 Indians departs from Tajikistan for New Delhi. Two Nepalese nationals also evacuated. Assisted and supported by our Embassy at Dushanbe. More evacuation flights to follow," Bagchi said around 1:20 am on Sunday.

Jubilant evacuees on their journey home ! pic.twitter.com/3sfvSaEVK7 — Arindam Bagchi (@MEAIndia) August 21, 2021

On the other hand, the Indian embassy in Qatar said that 135 Indians, who were evacuated from Kabul to Doha in the last few days, are being sent to India.

"1st batch of 135 Indians who were evacuated 4m Kabul to Doha over past days being repatriated tonight to India," the embassy stated in a post-midnight tweet.

It said that embassy officials provided consular and logistics assistance to ensure the safe return of the Indians.

"We thank Qatar authorities and all concerned for making this possible," it added.

Some glimpses from the airport...  pic.twitter.com/vXEJ0j8h6n — India in Qatar (@IndEmbDoha) August 21, 2021

Meanwhile, nearly 100 Indians who were also evacuated to Doha from Kabul by US and NATO aircraft, are also likely to be brought back to the country on Sunday.

This is to be noted that India has already evacuated 200 people including the Indian envoy and other staffers of its embassy in Kabul in two C-17 heavy-lift transport aircraft of the IAF.

The first evacuation flight brought back over 40 people, mostly staffers at the Indian embassy, on Monday. The second C-17 aircraft evacuated around 150 people including Indian diplomats, officials, security personnel and some stranded Indians from Kabul on Tuesday.

Earlier, the Indian Ministry of External Affairs had also provided contact details for all Indian nationals in Afghanistan requiring assistance.

We urge all Indian nationals in Afghanistan requiring assistance to contact our Special Afghanistan Cell immediately, if not done so already.
Contact details  https://t.co/82ytF53WKK

— Arindam Bagchi (@MEAIndia) August 19, 2021

This comes after the Taliban took control of the Afghan capital on August 15 in the backdrop of the withdrawal of the US troops.

(With PTI inputs)