India Also Withdraws Embassy Staff from Afghanistan

Western Embassies Close and Evacuate Staff Amid Taliban Takeover

Photo by Reuters

[Asia Economy Reporter Yujin Cho] Following the surrender of the Afghan government to the Islamic militant group Taliban, India has decided to withdraw its embassy staff from Afghanistan, joining the United States and European countries.

On the 17th, Arindam Bagchi, spokesperson for the Indian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, announced on Twitter, "Diplomats and embassy staff in Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan, will be evacuated."

India has maintained an embassy in Kabul and operated consulates in Kandahar, Mazar-i-Sharif, Herat, and Jalalabad.

The consulates in Herat and Jalalabad were closed last year due to the impact of COVID-19, and the consulates in Kandahar and Mazar-i-Sharif have recently been temporarily closed due to intensified offensives by the Islamic militant group Taliban.

In Afghanistan, the Taliban rapidly expanded their influence and took control of the government following the withdrawal of international coalition forces including the United States, the United Kingdom, and Germany.

Accordingly, Western countries such as the United States, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and Canada are withdrawing or reducing embassy staff or repatriating their nationals.

Yesterday, the German Foreign Minister confirmed on Twitter the closure of the embassy in Kabul and stated that all embassy personnel have evacuated to the military zone of Kabul airport. France also plans to evacuate its nationals from Afghanistan to the United Arab Emirates using military aircraft.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.