India stands ready to evacuate its diplomats from Mazare-Sharif, despite the Taliban taking control of six Afghan provincial capitals on Tuesday after a bombardment in the north that forced tens of thousands into the relative safety of Kabul and other centres.
This becomes important against the background of the fact that the insurgents are now looking at Mazare-Sharif, the largest city in the north, whose demise would mean the total collapse of state control in a region traditionally hostile to the Taliban.
It is known that a special aircraft of the Indian Air Force will evacuate the personnel and the Indian citizens. Last month, India withdrew around 50 diplomats and security personnel from its consulate in Kandahar after violent clashes between Afghan forces and Taliban fighters in the city.
A special aircraft from the Indian Air Force was dispatched to bring back Indian diplomats, officials and other personnel, including a group of Indo-Tibetan Border Police personnel. According to the government, there are currently around 1,500 Indians in Afghanistan.