Around 150 Indians have been allegedly kidnapped by the Taliban from outside the Hamid Karzai International airport in Kabul, local journalists in Afghanistan have claimed. There has been no official confirmation yet of the matter from the Indian Government or the US/NATO forces on ground. Indian Govt is reported to be monitoring the situation closely.
Multiple Afghan journalists claim that over 100-150 Indians have been kidnapped by the Taliban from outside the Kabul airport. No official confirmation yet from Indian Government or US/NATO forces on ground. Indian Govt is monitoring closely.
— Aditya Raj Kaul (@AdityaRajKaul) August 21, 2021
This is a DEVELOPING STORY. pic.twitter.com/OFBeIiu4Hy
According to Rishikesh Kumar of Sputnik, those abducted included a number of Afghan Sikhs and citizens but most were ordinary Indians. The people, including women and children, had reached the airport at 1 a.m. but could not enter.
These people, including women and children, had gone to the airport in eight caster-type vehicles at 1:00 AM today, but could not enter the airport due to lack of coordination.
— Rishikesh Kumar (@rishhikesh) August 21, 2021
Kumar reported that soon after, Talibs came and thrashed some of them and took them all to Tarkhil, Kabul. Some managed to escape from the moving car, reported Kumar. According to those who had escaped, the Talibs told them that they were being taken inside the airport through another gate but it is not clear if they were indeed taken in or transferred to another location.
Taliban, however, has denied the allegations.
Ahmadullah Waseq, a Taliban spokesman has denied this report to a member of the Afghan media that reported on this story. More details are awaited. pic.twitter.com/hPq0i9evLK
— ANI (@ANI) August 21, 2021
There have been hostage situations involving radical Islamic groups in the past. In 2014, a group of 46 Indian nurses were rescued from ISIS captivity in war torn Iraq. Then External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj had worked closely through diplomatic channels with countries in the region like Saudi Arabia and Iraq to secure their rescue.
