India has evacuated all diplomatic staff and security personnel from its consulate in the southern city of Kandahar in Afghanistan as the Taliban closes in on the second biggest city of the country. 

“Due to intense fighting near Kandahar city, India-based personnel have been brought back for the time being,” the Ministry of External Affairs confirmed in a press release. However, it added the consulate has not been closed, and “India is closely monitoring the evolving security situation in Afghanistan.” 

Around 50 diplomats and security personnel were brought back to New Delhi by a special aircraft of the India Air Force, The Hindu reported. 

According to an official, quoted by The Hindu, the move is “precautionary” and temporary. “The personnel that returned to Delhi on Saturday would be transported back if the situation improves, while some may alternatively travel to Kabul to continue their consular operations from the Embassy if required,” the report said. 

Another report in The Hindustan Times said the presence of a large number of fighters of Lashkar-e-Tayeba, a Pakistan-based anti-Indian Kashmiri terrorist group, in southern Afghanistan, is the main driver of India’s recent decision to move its personnel from Kandahar. 

The Indian consulate in Mazar-e-Sharif, a northern Afghan city, is still operational despite the fighting around the city, indicating New Delhi seems more worried about the threat emanating from Pakistan-based groups operating inside Afghanistan than the Taliban itself.  

Officials are worried about Kandahar, with exit routes limited to the airport, and Taliban forces having taken control of other key districts close to the city. Last week, Panjwai, a district with less than an hour’s drive from Kandahar city, fell to the insurgent group.

The fighting has intensified in recent days and reached some of the major cities across the country. With this, concerns regarding the safety of embassies and diplomats are also growing, with a number of countries already closing their consulates across the country. 

Last year India closed its consulates in Jalalabad and Herat. It now has, besides its embassy in capital Kabul, only the consulate in Mazar-e-Sharif operational. 

Although the Taliban has given repeated assurance, saying it would not pose any threat to foreign embassies and diplomatic staff, the international community remains very concerned about the ev9lving civil war situation and is not taking chances.