‘High-level group monitoring developments in Afghanistan’

A high-level group comprising External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, NSA Ajit Doval and a number of other senior officials is monitoring the ground situation in Afghanistan with a focus on India’s immediate priorities, official sources said on Tuesday.

The group has been meeting regularly over the last few days following a direction from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, they said.

“In view of the evolving situation in Afghanistan, Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently directed that a high-level group comprising of External Affairs Minister, the National Security Adviser and senior officials focus on the immediate priorities of India,” said a source.

“It is seized of issues pertaining to the safe return of stranded Indians, the travel of Afghan nationals (especially minorities) to India, and assuring that the territory of Afghanistan is not used in any manner for terrorism directed against India,” it said

The sources also said that the group has also been monitoring the ground situation in Afghanistan and international reactions, including the resolution, passed this morning by the UN Security Council.

The US on Tuesday completed the withdrawal of its troops from Afghanistan, ending a two-decade war and leaving the country in the hands of the Taliban.

There is still no clarity on the formation of a government in Kabul, over two weeks after the Taliban seized control of the Afghan capital city.

The UN Security Council, under India’s presidency, on Monday adopted a resolution demanding that territory of Afghanistan not be used to threaten any country or shelter terrorists.