Three Indian engineers rescued in Afghanistan from area not under control of Afghan forces

NEW DELHI: Three Indian engineers, who worked at a project site in an area not under the control of Afghan government forces, were rescued by air recently, according to the Indian embassy in Kabul on Thursday.

The embassy cited the rescue of the engineers in fresh security advisory while calling upon all Indians in Afghanistan to strictly adhere to the measures advised by it in view of a spike in violence in that country.

"A recent case that required emergency air rescue of three Indian engineers who remained at a dam project site, in an area not under the control of government forces, has brought to light that Indian nationals receiving this embassy's advisories are not heeding its advice and continue to put themselves in mortal danger," the embassy said in a fresh advisory.

It is learnt that the engineers were working in an area that has been under the control of the Taliban.

"Embassy of India Kabul once again underscores the need for all Indian nationals to fully adhere to steps in the security advisories provided from time to time," the advisory said.

The embassy had issued separate security advisories on June 29, July 24 and August 10, recommending a series of measures to ensure the safety and security of the Indians living in that country.

"Precautions and security measures advised in the above three advisories continue to remain valid. All Indian nationals in Afghanistan are once again requested to strictly adhere to the measures advocated," the new advisory said.

In its advisory on Tuesday, the embassy strongly advised all Indian citizens residing in Afghanistan to make immediate travel arrangements to return home before commercial air services are discontinued from the country in view of the massive spike in violence.

It also strongly advised the Indian companies operating in Afghanistan to immediately withdraw their Indian employees out of project sites before air travel services from the country are discontinued.

In the latest advisory, the embassy also asked Indian journalists who are in Afghanistan to cover the latest developments to take additional security measures.

"As a recent tragic incident demonstrated, the public profile of Indian journalists in Afghanistan entails additional risks," it said, in an apparent reference to the killing of Pulitzer Prize-winning Indian photojournalist Danish Siddiqui in Kandahar last month.

"It is therefore advised that members of the Indian media should take additional security measures for their stay and movements inside Afghanistan including tying up of interviews and planned coverage before arrival in Afghanistan, as well as identifying well-established security logistic firms who can make necessary security arrangements for stay and movement of the journalists.

The Taliban has been making rapid advances across Afghanistan by resorting to widespread violence since the United States began withdrawing its troops from the country on May 1.

The US has already pulled back the majority of its forces and is looking to complete the drawdown by August 31.

India has been engaged with a number of stakeholders and leading powers on the latest developments in Afghanistan.