External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar and US Secretary of State Antony J Blinken on Monday had a telephonic discussion over the recent developments in Afghanistan.
Taking to Twitter on Tuesday, Mr Jaishankar said, “Discussed latest developments in Afghanistan with @SecBlinken. Underlined the urgency of restoring airport operations in Kabul. Deeply appreciate the American efforts underway in this regard.”
He further said that India is monitoring the situation in Kabul continuously and that it “understands the anxiety of those seeking to return to India”. “Airport operations are the main challenge. Discussions on with partners in that regard,” he said. State Department spokesperson Ned Price also said the two top diplomats discussed the situation in Afghanistan. The UNSC on Monday called for an immediate cessation of all hostilities in Afghanistan and the establishment of a new government that is united, inclusive and representative. In a press statement, UNSC President TS Tirumurti said that the members of the Security Council called for an immediate end to the violence in Afghanistan, the restoration of security, civil and constitutional order. The Taliban on Sunday seized the last major city outside of Kabul held by the country’s central government, cutting off the Afghan capital to the east. Taliban insurgents began moving towards Kabul following the overnight collapse of the two remaining cities of Mazar-e-Sharif and Jalalabad.
