India “Temporary” Closes Its Consulate, Withdraws Diplomatic Staff’ From Kandahar

India has “temporarily” withdrawn staff from its consulate in Kandahar in the face of growing control of Taliban fighters in Afghanistan.

Indian Foreign Ministry spokesman Arindam Bagchi said in a statement that Indian personnel had been withdrawn due to heavy fighting near the city of Kandahar.

Our response to media queries on the Indian Consulate in Kandahar:
https://t.co/aQ0YPgl6Vf pic.twitter.com/DAPT3kYdM4

— Arindam Bagchi (@MEAIndia) July 11, 2021

He said that India was closely monitoring the security situation in Afghanistan.

He added that the Indian consulate in Kandahar was temporarily staffed by local staff.

Taliban officials said on Friday that they had captured 85 per cent of Afghanistan.

Afghan government officials dismissed the Taliban’s claim as propaganda.

In addition, the Indian foreign minister had called for a reduction in violence, saying that the situation in the war-torn country had a direct impact on regional security.

It should be noted that the Taliban had claimed control of the city after heavy fighting in the outskirts of Kunduz province.

The Taliban, which has advanced across the country since US President Joe Biden announced the end of the war in Afghanistan in mid-April, has recently taken control of several districts, often without a fight. Occupied, they have seized border crossings with Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Iran over the past week.

However, at a press conference in the Russian capital, the Taliban promised not to attack or seize provincial capitals and hoped for a political solution with the Afghan leadership.

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