India announced on Sunday that it had temporarily brought back officials from its consulate in Kandahar, a major city in southern Afghanistan, as Taliban gained more control amid the withdrawal of international forces.
"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.
"India is closely monitoring the evolving security situation in Afghanistan," Bagchi affirmed, adding that India's consulate in Kandahar was being run by local staff temporarily.
Taliban officials said on Friday the Sunni Muslim insurgent group had taken control of 85% of Afghanistan's territory, as the United States and others withdraw the bulk of their troops after 20 years of fighting.
Nevertheless, the Afghan government officials dismissed the assertion as a propaganda campaign.
Hence, India's foreign minister has called for a reduction of violence, stressing that the situation in the war-torn nation has a direct bearing on regional security.
By the same token, the White House announced on Friday that US troop withdrawal from Afghanistan would be completed by the “end of August”.
“We expect it to be completed by the end of August,” press secretary Jen Psaki said.
U.S. President Joe Biden revealed that there were no immediate plans for complete troop withdrawal from the country. “No. We’re on, we’re on track exactly as to where we expect to be,” Biden said.
He had vowed to pull all American troops by September 11 which will be the twentieth anniversary of the attacks on the WTC attacks in New York and the Pentagon.
Likewise, Germany completed its troop pull-out from Afghanistan, ending a nearly 20-year mission.
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