India shuts down Afghanistan's Kandahar consulate

India has evacuated around 50 diplomats and other staff members of the Kandahar consulate in Afghanistan in view of the “intense fighting near Kandahar city, reported Indian media.

The fighting started as the Taliban tries to regain control over the country as the US pulls out its forces after nearly two decades.

The personnel at the consulate were flown to Delhi by Air Force plane.

The Consulate General of India in Kandahar has been closed, due to the intense fighting near Kandahar city.

On Friday, Taliban officials had said they had taken control of 85% of territory in Afghanistan, and international concern mounted over problems getting medicines and supplies into the country.

Earlier, US Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad had said that America’s military engagement in Afghanistan is coming to an end and US would work vigorously to find a path to ending the war.

Zalmay Khalilzad had said in a series of tweets, “I return to Doha and the region to continue our determined diplomacy in pursuit of a peace agreement between the Islamic Republic and the Taliban. As the President made clear in his recent remarks, a negotiated settlement is the only solution.”

He had added, “America’s military engagement in Afghanistan is coming to an end. Our commitment to Afghanistan is not.”