India to operate 2 flights daily from Kabul to evacuate its citizens

India has been allowed to operate two flights per day from Kabul to evacuate its nationals stranded in Afghanistan, government sources said.

The permission has been granted by the American and North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) forces which have been controlling operations of the Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul after the Afghan capital fell to the Taliban on August 15.

A total of 25 flights are being operated by the US and NATO forces as they, at present, focusing on evacuating their citizens, weaponry and equipment, sources said.

More than 300 Indian nationals have to be taken out of Kabul which is now under the Taliban's control.

India is airlifting its citizens through Dushanbe in Tajikistan and Qatar.

Earlier on Saturday, around 80 Indian nationals were evacuated on Saturday from Kabul by a transport military aircraft of the Indian Air Force

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 after the Taliban seized control of Kabul last Sunday.

The second C-17 aircraft evacuated around 150 people including Indian diplomats, officials, security personnel and some stranded Indians on Tuesday.

The Taliban swept across Afghanistan this month, seizing control of almost all key towns and cities, including Kabul, in the backdrop of the withdrawal of the US forces.

The mission to evacuate close to 200 Indians was accomplished with support from the US.

Following the evacuation, the MEA said the focus now would be to ensure the safe return of all Indian nationals from the Afghan capital.

The MEA said the immediate priority for the government is to obtain accurate information about all Indian nationals currently staying in Afghanistan.

It also requested the Indians as well as their employers to urgently share the relevant details with the special Afghanistan cell.

As per a rough estimate, the number of Indians stranded in Afghanistan could be around 400.

With inputs from PTI