India allowed to operate two flights daily to evacuate citizens from Kabul
India has been allowed to operate two flights daily to evacuate its citizens stranded in Kabul amid the Afghanistan-Taliban crisis.
The United States and North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) forces have been in control of operations at the Hamid Karzai International Airport since August 15, since Afghanistan fell to the Taliban. The forces granted permission to India to operate two Indian aircrafts every day to Kabul on Saturday.
An Indian Air Force (IAF) transport aircraft which departed from the Kabul airport with some eminent Afghan leaders, including public representatives from the Hindu and Sikh communities, as well as 85 Indians on board on Saturday is expected to arrive in New Delhi on Sunday.
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 on Sunday.
The first evacuation flight brought back over 40 Indians on Monday. 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.
ALSO READ | IAF plane with 90 Indian evacuees, who were taken to Tajikistan from Kabul, to land in Delhi tomorrow
