Jaishankar, Blinken discuss Afghanistan

NEW DELHI: External affairs minister S Jaishankar spoke to US secretary of state Antony Blinken early on Tuesday to seek American assistance in getting Indians evacuated from Kabul, even as a second batch of members of the Indian mission including Ambassador Rudrendra Tandon left the Afghan capital in an Indian Air Force C-17.

The first batch of 45 was evacuated on Monday, in another IAF C-17, but the second couldn’t amidst the chaos on the streets of Kabul and in the airport itself.

After Turkey backed off from manning the Hamid Karzai International Airport, it is being technically manned by the US forces with air traffic control and perimeter under American security cover.

The US secretary of state also assured Jaishankar, who is currently in New York, of full support in future evacuations through civilian flights. Later, on Tuesday, Jaishankar spoke with UNSC members to evolve a broader consensus on the Afghanistan issue. He was also expected to meet with UN secretary-general Antonio Guterres on the same issue. India’s foreign minister is chairing UNSC sessions on terrorism and peacekeeping for two days.

Given the chaos in Kabul, EAM Jaishankar is working with the Americans to get the HKI airport ready to receive civilian flights so that Indians and others are evacuated from the strifetorn nation. “Our priorities are Indians working in Afghanistan, Indians who went to Afghanistan despite our advisory, Indians who were employed by US and European contractors to work in Afghanistan, the civilian population of Indian origin and Afghan friends with traditional links with our country …. E-visas will be issued to those who don’t have documents to travel on application,” said an official who asked not to be named.

Before Jaishankar spoke to Blinken, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval also talked to his US counterpart Jake Sullivan on phone to discuss the evacuation of second batch of Indian diplomats and officials from Kabul.the two also discussed ways to stabilise strife torn Afghanistan.

The situation in Kabul continues to be precarious with Taliban fighters under no visible chain of command and various sundry terror outfits setting up security check posts to demand protection money. “It is free for all in Kabul with power flowing from the barrel of the gun,” said another official who too asked not to be named.

Indian officials managed to get the second batch of evacuees to the HKI airport post-midnight on Monday.