India has made frantic efforts for two days at its embassy to evacuate diplomatic staff and others. In addition to the Americans, two high-profile Afghan politicians, are currently negotiating a power-sharing deal with the Taliban. They were Hamid Karzai, former President of the Council of National Reconciliation and Abdullah, ex-Deputy President and also President of Ashraf Ghani's ousted government.
After the Ghani government collapsed and security staff at the Green Zone of Kabul, where diplomatic missions are located, the decision to evacuate the whole indian Embassy, including Ambassador Rudrendra Tandon, was taken. In the Afghan capital, army fighters had created their own checkpoints. Their chain of command was not clear. Several allies were reported to be present apart from the Taliban. There were risky driving to the airport by these posts.
On august 16, india sent IAF C17 Globemaster aircraft to evacuate its citizens, including those at the embassy, through the military-terrorist side of an airport controlled by US forces following a flight from delhi to air india that was unable to land in Kabul by thousands swarmed the tarmac. The challenge, however, was to get the indians safe to the airport and make sure the Taliban did not hurdle.
The negotiations continued until monday with 150 evacuees assembled at the Embassy. In the late-night the green light arrived — and around 10 p.m. the car left for the airport. Around 2:30 am, vehicles were allowed into the airport's technical area. The C17 departed for delhi four hours later. The 260 indians still stranded in Kabul are now being evacuated.
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