The Afghan Taliban has been gaining control over various regions in Afghanistan, not to mention the province of Kandahar which has been taken over too by the Afghan Taliban. India is seeing this as a looming threat to its presence in Afghanistan. India has temporarily brought back officials from its consulate in Kandahar, a major city in southern Afghanistan, as Taliban fighters continue to gain control amid the withdrawal of international forces. About 50 Indian personnel, including six diplomats, have been evacuated from the consulate.
India and Afghan Taliban haven’t been on good terms since decades as Afghan taliban said they will never allow anyone to use their soil against Pakistan. “Due to the intense fighting near Kandahar city, India-based personnel have been brought back for the time being,” Arindam Bagchi, chief spokesperson at India’s foreign ministry, said in a statement.
Taliban officials said on Friday that they had taken control of 85 percent of Afghanistan’s territory. Afghan government officials dismissed the assertion as a propaganda campaign. According to the UN, Afghan Taliban will gain control over majority of area in Afghanistan, following the withdrawal of American forces. The US withdrawal is almost 90% complete according to a statement by the Pentagon. According to Afghan Taliban, there was no agreement with the United States for the Taliban not to attack administrative centres remaining under Kabul’s control.