Afghanistan Taliban Crisis HIGHLIGHTS: Afghans Arriving In India Getting Visa Under Six-Month Programme, MEA Informs
Afghanistan Taliban Crisis HIGHLIGHTS: For all the latest developments in the Afghanistan-Taliban crisis and the situation created around it follow ABP News LIVE blog to stay updated.
LIVE
Background
Afghanistan Taliban Crisis HIGHLIGHTS: Two suicide bombers and gunmen attacked crowds of Afghans flocking to Kabul's airport Thursday, transforming a scene of desperation into one of horror in the waning days of airlift for those fleeing the Taliban takeover. At least 13 people were killed and 15 wounded, Russian officials said.
Several Marines were killed and a number of other American military were wounded, a U.S. official said. It was not clear if those deaths were included in the Russian toll.
The Taliban have condemned the attack outside Kabul's airport, saying it occurred in an area controlled by US forces. Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid says his group strongly condemns Thursday's attack and is paying close attention to security.
The attack was believed to be carried out by Afghanistan's Islamic State group affiliate, which is separate from and more radical than the Taliban.
Following the attack, The US flag will be flown at half-mast until the evening of August 30 to honour the victims killed in the explosion in Afghanistan's Kabul, said the White House.
Two suicide bombers and gunmen attacked crowds of Afghans flocking to Kabul airport on Thursday. The desperate scenes with people trying to flee the war-torn country after the Taliban takeover turned into horror as the blasts killed scores of civilians and at least 13 US troops.
The blasts came hours after Western officials warned of a major attack, urging people to leave the airport, reports AP. However, till the people could evacuate a major blast occurred killing dozens.
Afghanistan Taliban Crisis LIVE: PM Modi talks to Italian counterpart Mario Draghi over Afghanistan situation
Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke on the telephone with his Italian counterpart Mario Draghi. The leaders discussed the recent developments in Afghanistan and their implications for the region and the world, PMO informed.
They strongly condemned the horrific terror attack at Kabul International Airport yesterday & emphasised the need to ensure safe repatriation of stranded people. They stressed upon the need for international cooperation in addressing humanitarian crisis & long-term security concerns from Afghanistan.
The leaders also discussed other important issues on the G20 agenda, such as Climate Change. They exchanged views on other forthcoming multilateral engagements too, such as COP26. PM appreciated Italy's dynamic leadership in productively steering discussions within the G20, PMO stated.
Afghanistan Taliban Crisis LIVE: Child among 3 British nationals killed in Kabul terror attack
London (PTI): Three British nationals, including a child, were among over 100 people killed in the terror attack outside Kabul airport, UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said on Friday.
Two suicide bombers and gunmen attacked crowds of Afghans flocking to the Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul on Thursday, killing more than 100 people, including 13 US troops. The Islamic State's Afghanistan affiliate, dubbed Islamic State Khorasan or ISIS-K, claimed responsibility for the attack.
I was deeply saddened to learn that two British nationals and the child of another British national were killed by yesterday's terror attack, with two more injured, said Raab in a statement.
These were innocent people and it is a tragedy that as they sought to bring their loved ones to safety in the UK they were murdered by cowardly terrorists. Yesterday's despicable attack underlines the dangers facing those in Afghanistan and reinforces why we are doing all we can to get people out. We are offering consular support to their families, he said.
The minister said the UK will not turn our backs on people in Afghanistan in their hour of need, and we will never be cowed by terrorists .
The three fatalities were from three different families, all waiting outside the airport trying to gain access to an evacuation flight out of Afghanistan following the Taliban takeover.
Two more British nationals were injured. One of the wounded was moved onto the airfield, treated by military medics and is set to be evacuated to the UK. The other wounded victim, a child, is being treated at a hospital in Kabul.
The statement came after the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) had announced that Britain's Armed Forces have now entered the final stages of the evacuation from Hamid Karzai Airport (HKIA) in Kabul.
Afghanistan Taliban Crisis LIVE: UN Security Council condemns deplorable attacks in Afghanistan
United Nations (PTI): The UN Security Council, currently being presided over by India, on Friday condemned the "deplorable attacks" near Kabul airport that killed over 100 people and reiterated the importance of combating terrorism in Afghanistan to ensure no Afghan group or individual supports terrorists operating in any country.
Two suicide bombers and gunmen attacked crowds of Afghans flocking to Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul on Thursday, killing more than 100 people, including 13 US troops, in one of the worst terrorist strikes in Afghanistan in over a year.
The Islamic State's Afghanistan affiliate, dubbed Islamic State Khorasan or ISIS-K, claimed responsibility for the attack.
The UN Security Council (UNSC) said its members condemned in the strongest terms the deplorable attacks near Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul on Thursday.
The attacks, which were claimed by Islamic State in Khorasan Province (ISKP), an entity affiliated with Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL/Da'esh), resulted in the death and injuries of dozens of civilians, including children, and military personnel, it said in a statement.
While the statement says that "no Afghan group or individual" should support terrorists operating on the territory of any country, it is learnt that a specific reference to the Taliban here was deleted at the request of China.
The members of the Security Council reiterated the importance of combating terrorism in Afghanistan to ensure the territory of Afghanistan should not be used to threaten or attack any country, and that no Afghan group or individual should support terrorists operating on the territory of any country, it said.
During India's Presidency of the powerful 15-nation UN body, two press statements have been issued on the situation in Afghanistan and one on ISIS.
The Council has held two sessions on Afghanistan this month, both of which were not scheduled in the original programme of work, amid grave security situation in the country after the Taliban took control of Kabul as US forces withdrew from the war-torn country.
The Council underlined the need to hold perpetrators, organisers, financiers and sponsors of these reprehensible acts of terrorism accountable and bring them to justice .
It said deliberately targeting civilians and personnel assisting in the evacuation of civilians is especially abhorrent and must be condemned.
The Council emphasised the importance of the safety and security of United Nations personnel as well as of diplomatic and consular personnel of United Nations Member States, and called on all relevant parties to respect and facilitate the safe evacuation of civilians.
Expressing their deepest sympathy and condolences to the families of the victims and those injured, the members of the Council condemned in the strongest terms all instances of terrorism and deliberate attacks against civilians.
They recalled that all parties must respect their obligations under international humanitarian law in all circumstances, including those related to the protection of civilians.
The Council members reaffirmed that terrorism in all its forms and manifestations constitutes one of the most serious threats to international peace and security and reiterated that any acts of terrorism are criminal and unjustifiable, regardless of their motivation, wherever, whenever and by whomsoever committed.
They reaffirmed the need for all States to combat by all means, in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations and other obligations under international law, including international human rights law, international refugee law and international humanitarian law, threats to international peace and security caused by terrorist acts.
The Council reiterated its support to the work of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA).
Afghanistan Taliban Crisis LIVE: 'ISIS will not deter us,' US on evacuation plans
There are still approx 5,400 individuals at the airport awaiting flights out of Afghanistan. We have the ability to include evacuees on US military airlift out of Afghanistan... ISIS will not deter us from accomplishing this mission: Army Major General William “Hank” Taylor said as reported by ANI.
There'll be an investigation and we will try to learn as much as we can (about the Kabul airport attack)... We express our condolences to the Afghan people who suffered yesterday's attack. We don't want to see the country torn asunder through civil war: Pentagon Press Secy John Kirby said.
Afghanistan Taliban Crisis LIVE: Kabul blasts show security situation in Afghanistan 'complex, grave', says China
Beijing (PTI): China on Friday expressed shock at the deadly suicide attacks at Kabul airport, saying the security situation in Afghanistan remained "complex and grave" and offered to work with the international community to deal with terrorist threats and prevent the war-ravaged country from becoming a hotbed of terrorism.
During a media briefing here, Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said that the Chinese Embassy in Kabul, which was still operating, verified and found that there were no Chinese casualties in the suicide attacks.
China is shocked at and strongly condemns the explosions near Kabul airport which caused heavy casualties. The explosions show that the security situation in Afghanistan remains complex and grave, Zhao said.
Two suicide bombers and gunmen attacked crowds of Afghans flocking to the Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul on Thursday, killing more than 100 people, including 13 US troops. Islamic State's Afghanistan affiliate, dubbed as Islamic State Khorasan or ISIS-K, claimed responsibility for the attack.
Observers say the Kabul blasts showed that ISIS-K could operate with impunity in Kabul under the Taliban control, which will be a disquieting factor for Beijing as it is banking on the Afghan militant group to rein on the Uygur Muslim militant group, the East Turkistan Islamic Movement (ETIM), from Xinjiang.
Hundreds of ETIM militants were earlier reported to have fought along with ISIS in Syria and reportedly regrouped in Afghanistan in the run-up to the Taliban offensive culminating in seizing power in Kabul this month.
Senior Taliban leader Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, when he visited China last month and met Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, gave a commitment to not allow the ETIM militants to infiltrate into the volatile Xinjiang province.
Xinjiang shares borders with Afghanistan, Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (POK), besides Central Asian countries of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan
Without directly naming Taliban, Zhao said, we hope relevant parties will take effective measures to ensure a smooth transition of the situation in Afghanistan and ensure the safety of the Afghan people and foreign citizens in the country."
China, along with Russia and Pakistan, has kept its embassy open in Kabul though it evacuated over 200 of its nationals earlier.
Asked whether China will work with the US and the western countries to crackdown on terrorist groups in Afghanistan and how confident is Beijing about the Taliban's ability to fight ISIS-K, he said China firmly opposes and strongly condemns all forms of terrorism, and stands ready to work with the international community to jointly tackle the threat of terrorism and prevent Afghanistan from becoming a source of terrorism again.
He said the militant groups were regrouping in Afghanistan for sometime.
We noticed that some terrorist groups have gathered and developed in Afghanistan over the past two decades, posing a serious threat to international and regional peace and security, he said and specially named the ETIM.
In particular, as an international terrorist organisation listed by the UN Security Council, the ETIM poses an immediate threat to the security of China and its people, he said and reminded Taliban to rein on the Uygur militants.
The head of the Afghan Taliban made it clear to the Chinese side that the Afghan Taliban will never allow any force to use the Afghan territory to engage in acts that hurt China. The Afghan Taliban should earnestly honour its commitment, make a clean break with all terrorist organisations, resolutely fight against the ETIM and clear the way for regional security, stability, development and cooperation, he said.
He also criticised the US' move to delist the ETIM as a terrorist organisation, saying Washington is following double standards in fighting terrorism.
The former Trump administration had removed ETIM from the US' list of terrorist organisations in 2020 amid allegations of human rights violations against Uygur Muslims by China in Xinjiang.
The US has termed China's security crackdown in Xinjiang as genocide against Uygur Muslims.
China opposes the double standard of the US. The US should not claim to fight and oppose terrorism on the one hand and refuse to designate the ETIM on the other hand. Such US moves does no good to the counter-terrorism cooperation between China and the US, he said
Afghanistan Crisis LIVE: Afghans Arriving In India Will Get Six-Month Visa, Foreign Ministry Informs
New Delhi (ANI): Afghans arriving in the country will get a six-month visa and the government will "take it from there" as making long-term plans have not been the "best of ideas" under similar circumstances, India said today.
This comes as the Union Home Ministry announced that all Afghan nationals must travel to India only using e-Visa given the current security situation in Afghanistan.
"So they (Afghans) are currently coming here under the six-month visa programme. We will take it from there. That's the current plan for six months. This is an evolving situation. Making long term plans have not been the best of ideas," said Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi during a weekly press briefing.
India has evacuated over 550 people on six separate flights, from Kabul and Dushanbe. "Of these, over 260 were Indians."
"We were moving to the e-Emergency visa system. It appears that all this could have led to some confusion, which led to the unfortunate incident of denial of entry to a particular Afghan national," Mr Bagchi said.
He said that the decision was made in view of the deteriorating security situation in Afghanistan. "There were reports of a group of people who raided one of our outsourcing agencies where Afghan passports with Indian visas were there."
Over 11,000 visas issued by the Indian embassy in Afghanistan between August 12 and 14 have been cancelled after more than a thousand visas were reportedly stolen, prompting the Centre to introduce e-Visas after the fall of Kabul.
A senior official on Thursday had said that the intelligence agencies anticipated that the stolen visas could be misused amid chaos in the neighbouring country.
Afghanistan's situation is worsening as people are in a rush to leave the country after the Taliban seized control. On August 15, the country's government fell soon after President Ashraf Ghani left the nation. On Thursday, twin blasts were reported near Kabul airport, which led to the death of over 80 people.
Afghanistan Crisis LIVE: US evacuated & facilitated evacuation of 105,000 people, says White House
From 3 AM ET on 26th August to 3 AM ET on 27th August, a total of approximately 12,500 people were evacuated from Kabul. 35 US military flights carried approximately 8,500 evacuees, and 54 coalition flights carried approximately 4,000 people: The White House stated.
Since August 14, the US has evacuated and facilitated the evacuation of approximately 105,000 people. Since the end of July, we have re-located approximately 110,600 people, The White House added.
Afghanistan Crisis LIVE: MEA spokesperson on issue of Afghan MP's alleged deportation
Afghanistan Crisis LIVE: No clarity about any entity forming government in Kabul, says MEA
Situation on the ground is uncertain (in Afghanistan). Primary concern is security and safety of people. Currently, there is no clarity about any entity forming a government in Kabul. I think we are jumping the gun regarding recognition: MEA Spokesperson on recognition of Taliban government, ANI reported.
The last flight had 40 odd people. We were hearing reports that Afghan nationals were facing difficulties in reaching the airport. We know some Afghan nationals, including Afghan Sikhs and Hindus, couldn't reach airport on Aug 25. Our flight had to come without them: MEA spokesperson said.
We've been seeking a peaceful, prosperous, democratic Afghanistan. We are currently monitoring it closely. The current focus is on security situation of Afghanistan evacuations and seeing how it unfolds. Other countries are in the frame of wait and watch: Arindam Bagchi added.
Afghanistan Crisis LIVE: We'll also stand by Afghans who stood by us, says MEA
Top Headline
Trending News
and tablets
