The Indian Embassy in Kabul on Saturday issued a security advisory for its nationals, especially media persons, in view of the escalation of violence in Afghanistan.
The advisory was a revised version of the document released on June 29. The Embassy said the security situation in several provinces of Afghanistan was dangerous.
“Terror groups operating in Afghanistan have escalated violent activities including targeting of civilians,” the Embassy said. “Indian nationals are not exceptions, and they additionally face a serious threat of kidnapping.”
The embassy referred to the death of Reuters photojournalist Danish Siddiqui in Afghanistan on July 16. The award-winning Indian journalist was killed while covering clashes between Afghanistan security forces and Taliban insurgents in Kandahar city.
“Special attention is drawn to members of the Indian media travelling to Afghanistan to cover events through ground reports,” the embassy said in its advisory. “As recent tragic events showed, it is essential that all Indian press-persons covering events on the ground establish contact with the Public Affairs and Security Wing of this Embassy for a personalised briefing including specific advice for the locale they are traveling to.”
The Embassy said getting in touch with its officials will not only help journalists assess risks better but also ensure they get speedy assistance if required.
The advisory issued on Saturday was a revised version of the document released by the Embassy on June 29. The Indian Embassy said the security situation in several provinces of Afghanistan was dangerous.
“Terror groups operating in Afghanistan have escalated violent activities including targeting of civilians,” the Embassy said. “Indian nationals are not exceptions, and they additionally face a serious threat of kidnapping.”
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The embassy advised Indian nationals to exercise “utmost vigilance and caution with regard to security at workplace, place of residence and also during movement to their places of work”.
The advisory said that they must avoid non-essential movement and travelling during peak commuting hours. It also advised Indian nationals to avoid crowded places such as shopping complexes and restaurants.
While on roads, Indians must maintain distance from possible targets such as “military convoys, vehicles of government ministries/ offices, high ranking officials, law enforcement agencies”, it added.
“Traveling outside the main cities should be strictly avoided,” it added. “Indian companies operating in Afghanistan are advised once again to make special security arrangements in respect of their Indian employees deployed at project sites.”
All Indian nationals travelling to Afghanistan were advised to register themselves with the embassy or consulate on their websites. “Those already present in Afghanistan, but have not registered, are requested to do so,” the advisory added.
Since United States President Joe Biden announced in April that he would pull back troops from Afghanistan, the Taliban have taken control of large parts of the country.
On Saturday, the Afghan government imposed a night curfew in 31 of 34 provinces to limit the Taliban’s movement, Al Jazeera reported.
The Taliban now claim control over 90% of Afghanistan’s borders, AFP reported. On Thursday, the Afghanistan government dismissed the claim as an “absolute lie” and “baseless propaganda.
The government alleged that the Taliban had killed about 100 civilians in the town of Spin Boldak, situated along the border with Pakistan. “Afghan security forces will soon take revenge on these wild terrorists,” Interior Ministry spokesperson Mirwais Stanekzai said, according to AFP.
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