How MEA officials are running the 24×7 Afghanistan Cell to ensure smooth evacuation

While India has safely evacuated all Indian officials, diplomats and staff along with others, there are many who are still stranded in Afghanistan. In order to oversee evacuation operations, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has set up a ‘Special Afghanistan Cell’.

The ‘Special Afghanistan Cell’ was set up in MEA to coordinate repatriation and other requests from Afghanistan in a streamlined manner. The main focus was to evacuate all Indian nationals who have been living in Afghanistan.

The cell has been working 24×7 manned by more than 20 officials who look into incoming requests from Afghanistan and coordinate efforts to ensure they are listed on the evacuation flights.

The young officers of MEA answer calls, respond to emails and WhatsApp messages, enquire about the well-being and current status of the people contacting them, update the database of Indians who are still in Afghanistan, ascertain the assistance being sought and advise further course of action.

The cell was set up prior to the departure of India-based personnel from the Kabul embassy in order to ensure seamless contact of Indians who are still in Afghanistan.

Moreover, the Afghanistan cell and MEA are coordinating with various other ministries and agencies to ensure smooth coordination from planning till execution in order to send the evacuation planes to Afghanistan and bring them back.

As India is in close contact with the US troops who have taken control of the Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul for flight operations. The Indian authorities are also working closely with other governments and agencies for the evacuation efforts.

On Thursday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar to discuss the situation in Afghanistan and “agreed to continued coordination”, said US State Department spokesperson Ned Price

News Credit: India Today