The Embassy of India in Afghanistan on Saturday issued security advisory for Indian nationals staying in the country. The advisory asks Indians staying,visiting and working in Afghanistan to exercise utmost vigilance at all times ad avoid all non-essential travel as security situation in Afghanistan remains dangerous.
The embassy has laid down points in its advisory saying Indian nationals are not exceptions, and they additionally face a serious threat of kidnapping.
According to the advisory, All Indian nationals visiting, staying and working in Afghanistan are advised to exercise utmost vigilance and caution with regard to security at work place, place of residence and also during movement to their places of work. It is recommended that all types of non- essential movements be avoided. Movements especially during peak commuting hours should also be avoided. While traveling on roads, maintain distance from possible targets like military convoys, vehicles of Govt. Ministries/ offices, high ranking officials, law enforcement agencies, and avoid visiting crowded markets, shopping complexes, mandis, restaurants and other public places. All essential movement may please be kept as discrete as possible.
It also advises that traveling outside the main cities should be strictly avoided.
Further it says all Indian nationals arriving in Afghanistan are advised to register with the Embassy/Consulates on the website: https://eoi.gov.in/kabul/ or by email to paw.kabul@mea.gov.in. Those already present in Afghanistan, but have not registered, are requested to do so.
Indian companies operating in Afghanistan are advised once again to make special security arrangements in respect of their Indian employees deployed at project sites.
Special attention is drawn to members of the Indian media travelling to Afghanistan to cover events through ground reports. As recent tragic events showed,
it is essential that all Indian press-persons covering events on the ground establish contact with the Public Affairs & Security Wing of this Embassy for a personalized briefing including specific advice for the locale they are traveling to. This will not only help media persons make a better assessment of the risks involved, but also make it easier for the Embassy to render speedy assistance if needed.
Earlier this month, India pulled out around 50 diplomats and security personnel from its consulate in Kandahar in Afghanistan in view of the deteriorating security situation and the Taliban gaining control of new areas around the southern Afghan city, people familiar with the development said on Sunday.
A special aircraft of the Indian Air Force was sent on Saturday to bring back the Indian diplomats, officials and other staff members including a group of Indo-Tibetan Border Police personnel, they said.
India's move to temporarily shut the consulate in Kandahar came in view of Taliban fighters rapidly seizing control of a number of key areas in the region as well as in western Afghanistan triggering huge security concerns.
