File photo shows Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, speaking during a daily news briefing at the UN headquarters in New York, Aug. 26, 2020. (Xinhua/Xie E/IANS)
The most helpful thing for the delivery of humanitarian aid in a sustained high volume way would be an immediate humanitarian cease-fire, he said…reports Asian Lite News
The UN has expressed concern over the Israeli order for the evacuation of civilians in southern Gaza.
The Israeli military on Wednesday designated a new area covering about 20 per cent of central and south of Khan Younis city for immediate evacuation. Prior to the onset of the hostilities, the area was home to about 111,000 people. The area also includes 32 shelters that accommodated more than 141,000 displaced men, women and children, the vast majority of whom were previously displaced from northern Gaza, said Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, on Thursday.
He quoted the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs as saying that access to evacuation information on Khan Younis and other key information is impaired by interruptions in telecommunications and the lack of electricity. Telecommunications are still down in most of Gaza for the eighth day in a row.
Dujarric stressed that no area in Gaza is safe, Xinhua news agency reported.
Currently, intense fighting, the lack of electricity, limited fuel and disrupted telecommunications severely restrict access to loading points and trucks, as well as the ability to deliver, prioritise, plan and coordinate critical operations — with civilians bearing the brunt of the suffering that is going on, the spokesman added.
The most helpful thing for the delivery of humanitarian aid in a sustained high volume way would be an immediate humanitarian cease-fire, he said.
The UN is focused on trying to get as much aid in as possible, as quickly as possible, he added.
“We are working in a highly dangerous situation. More than 135 of our colleagues have paid (with) their lives. We’re working in a highly complicated system where different verifications have to go in.”
On the health front, only nine out of 36 health facilities are partially functional in the whole of Gaza, all of them are in the south, according to the World Health Organisation. The hospitals in the north are still sheltering thousands of displaced people, said the spokesman.
According to a food security analysis issued on Thursday, more than half a million people are facing catastrophic hunger conditions in Gaza.
The analysis, issued by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification and including data from the World Food Programme, the Food and Agricultural Organisation, and many other UN agencies, as well as international non-governmental organisations, also confirmed that the entire population of Gaza of n edarly 2.2 million people are in crisis or worse levels of acute food insecurity.
The death toll was revised on Wednesday morning local time, according to health ministry undersecretary of the Unity Government in Tripoli, Saadeddin Abdul Wakil…reports Asian Lite News
Four Indians stranded in Libya have been evacuated by the Indian Embassy in Tripoli.
The four Indians from Punjab, Haryana, were on Thursday seen off at the Benina Airport by the embassy’s local representative Tabassum Mansoor.
“Four stranded Indians from Punjab and Haryana being seen off by Embassy’s local representative Mrs Tabassum Mansoor at Benina Airport on September 14,” the Indian Embassy in Tunisia and Libya wrote on ‘X’ formerly Twitter on Thursday.
More than 6000 people have lost their lives due to heavy flooding that caused massive devastation across Libya, CNN reported on Wednesday.
The death toll was revised on Wednesday morning local time, according to health ministry undersecretary of the Unity Government in Tripoli, Saadeddin Abdul Wakil.
According to workers, mortuaries are overflowing in hospitals that are still closed despite the pressing need to treat disaster survivors. As per Egypt’s emigration ministry, the government buried 87 Egyptian victims who died in Libya.
Authorities fear 10,000 more people remain missing, maybe swept out to sea or buried beneath rubble strewn over the metropolis that formerly housed over 100,000 people.
The flooding in Derna has displaced over 30,000 people, according to the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) in Libya. The extensive damage to the region’s infrastructure has rendered some affected areas inaccessible to humanitarian organisations, CNN reported.
Only two of the seven entry points to Derna are presently open.
Officials are digging amid mountains of wreckage for survivors and bodies in order to honour Islamic traditions that the dead should be buried within three days, according to CNN.
Storm Daniel’s devastation has made it considerably more difficult for rescuers to remove roads and debris in order to find survivors. The storm disrupted communications, complicating rescue attempts and raising concern among family members living outside Libya who are waiting for word on missing loved ones.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Wednesday expressed his condolences for those killed in the devastating floods in Libya.
“Deeply saddened by the loss of lives due to the heavy floods in Libya. Our sympathies are with the families of the victims and with all those affected by the calamity. Express our solidarity with the people of Libya in this difficult time,” posted Jaishankar on X.
Tibetan spiritual leader the 14th Dalai Lama has also prayed for the families who have lost their lives in the floods in Libya.
“I pray for those brothers and sisters who have lost their lives and offer my heartfelt condolences to their families, as well as to others affected by this catastrophe,” the Dalai Lama said. The Tibetan spiritual leader further said he is aware that the Libyan authorities and the intern
ational community through several international organisations are offering support to the rescue efforts and providing relief to the affected people.
“Such a show of international concern and assistance will go a long way towards mitigating the effects of this calamity,” he said.
He further said, “As a mark of my solidarity with the people of Libya, the Gaden Phodrang Foundation of the Dalai Lama, is making a donation towards the relief and rescue efforts.” (ANI)
Sudan violence: Indian embassy asks citizens to stay indoor in fresh advisory(grab)
Khartoum airport has been repeatedly targeted by shelling and gunfire, making evacuation flights from there impossible…reports Asian Lite News
The US military has evacuated American diplomats and their families from Khartoum, President Joe Biden has said. “Today, on my orders, the United States military conducted an operation to extract US government personnel from Khartoum,” he said in a statement.
Earlier Sudan’s paramilitary army Rapid Support Forces (RSF) said six aircraft were used in Sunday’s early morning mission, and that it had co-ordinated the evacuation with the US.
Several details are still unclear. Exactly how many people were airlifted out of Sudan has not been confirmed. However before Saturday’s operation, CBS News, reported a plan to evacuate about 70 government workers.
Biden confirmed the embassy in Khartoum is now closed: “We are temporarily suspending operations at the US embassy in Sudan.”
He also thanked Djibouti, Ethiopia and Saudi Arabia, saying they had been “critical to the success of our operation”.
The president praised the embassy staff’s “courage and professionalism” and “the unmatched skill of our service members who successfully brought them to safety”.
It is the second evacuation of foreign citizens since violence erupted in Sudan’s capital last week.
On Saturday, more than 150 citizens, diplomats and international officials were evacuated by sea to the Saudi Arabian port of Jeddah. They were mostly citizens of Gulf countries, as well as Egypt, Pakistan and Canada.
Arabic news service Al Hadath reported that the six US aircraft landed in the embassy compound, and several Twitter users posted that they could hear helicopter activity over the US embassy, however the BBC has been unable to verify this.
Khartoum airport has been repeatedly targeted by shelling and gunfire, making evacuation flights from there impossible.
An unnamed US official said that President Biden had ordered the evacuation on Saturday after receiving a recommendation from his national security team, who saw no end to the fighting.
Biden’s statement said “I am receiving regular reports from my team on their ongoing work to assist Americans in Sudan, to the extent possible. We are also working closely with our allies and partners in this effort.”
He condemned the “tragic violence” in Sudan, saying “it’s unconscionable and it must stop”.
“The belligerent parties must implement an immediate and unconditional ceasefire, allow unhindered humanitarian access, and respect the will of the people of Sudan.”
The UK says it is considering ways to evacuate its staff. A hotline has been set up for those who need urgent help, and UK citizens in Sudan are being urged to tell the Foreign Office where they are.
Any UK evacuation is expected to be very limited and focus on diplomatic staff – not comparable to the mass evacuation from Afghanistan in 2021.
Meanwhile the Canadian government has told its citizens in Sudan to “shelter in a safe place”.
Describing the security situation as “highly volatile”, it told them to keep their phones charged, their doors and windows locked and “consider leaving the country if there’s a safe means to do so”.
Heavy fighting broke out in Khartoum on 15 April.
At the heart of it is a power struggle between forces loyal to Sudanese army chief Abdel Fatteh al-Burhan and a rival paramilitary faction, the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
The near-constant shooting and bombardment in Khartoum and elsewhere has cut electricity and safe access to food and water for much of the population.
Several ceasefires that had seemingly been agreed by both sides were ignored, including a three-day pause to mark the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Fitr, which started on Friday.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak chaired an emergency government Cobra meeting on Saturday to assess the Sudan crisis and more talks are expected on Sunday.
Foreign Secretary James Cleverly has cut short a Pacific tour and is returning to London. Some UK nationals trapped in Sudan have voiced frustration and anxiety over the absence of an airlift.
Briton Iman Abu Garga, visiting Khartoum, said she had registered herself and her two children, as instructed, “and since then – nothing”.
“We have no idea about timescale or timeframe. We have no idea what it’s going to look like. Are we going to be airlifted out of Khartoum airport? Are we going to have to go by road? It’s just utterly frustrating that there is no human contact whatsoever,” she complained.
Another British citizen in Khartoum said she felt “completely abandoned” by the UK government, saying she had not been given “much information at all” about possible evacuation plans.
On Saturday a Sudanese army statement said Gen Burhan had agreed to facilitate and secure foreigners’ evacuation “in the coming hours”.
It said British, US, French and Chinese nationals and diplomats would be evacuated by air on board military transport planes from Khartoum.
The UK government said it was “doing everything possible to support British nationals and diplomatic staff in Khartoum”.
Delay in launch of evacuation, growing Russia-China camaraderie come up for discussion at Parliamentary panel meeting, reports Asian Lite News
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Thursday said that all members of the Parliamentary Consultative Committee on Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) gave a strong and unanimous support to the government for its efforts to bring back all Indians from Ukraine.
Soon after the completion of the meeting, he said, “Just completed an MEA consultative committee meeting on developments in Ukraine. A good discussion on the strategic and humanitarian aspects of the issue. The strong and unanimous message of support for efforts to bring back all Indians from Ukraine.”
According to sources, the members of the Parliamentary Committee was briefed by Jaishankar and the Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla on all steps taken by the government to bring back the stranded Indians from war-torn Ukraine.
The Minister also informed the members that around 17,000 Indian nationals have left Ukraine since the initial advisories were issued. This includes some Indians who had not registered with the Embassy of India in Kiev previously and the flights under Operation Ganga have been increased.
He also informed that during the last 24 hours, six flights under ‘Operation Ganga’ have landed in India, taking the total number of flights to 15. Out of these, eight flights were from Bucharest, five from Budapest and two from Rzeszow in Poland.
Foreign Secretary Shringla briefed the members that the transport aircraft of the Indian Air Force have joined Operation Ganga, and till morning all four aircraft returned from Budapest, Rzeszow and Bucharest to Delhi, carrying around 800 Indian nationals mostly students. The IAF aircraft will ferry more Indians in the next 24 hours, he added.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and MP Shashi Tharoor also participated in the meeting. They supported the government’s efforts in evacuating Indians from the war-torn country.
Taking to Twitter, Tharoor said, “Nine MPs attended from six political parties. @INCIndia MPs present were @RahulGandhi, @AnandSharmaINC & myself. Frank discussions took place in an amicable atmosphere, a reminder that when it comes to national interests we are all Indians first and foremost.”
Since the meeting is confidential, he further said, “However we urged MEA to issue a more detailed statement than usual. The meeting took place in a constructive spirit & all parties are united in their desire to see our nationals return safely home.”
Attended the Consultative Committee meeting chaired by Hon Minister, @DrSJaishankarji . FS @HarshShringla ji briefed us about the situation in Ukraine&the evacuation efforts made by GoI.Thank them for the briefing&all stand united in the efforts to bring our students back home
— Priyanka Chaturvedi🇮🇳 (@priyankac19) March 3, 2022
Shiv Sena MP Priyanka Charturvedi, after attending the meeting said, “Attended the Consultative Committee meeting chaired by Hon Minister, @DrSJaishankarji. FS @HarshShringla ji briefed us about the situation in Ukraine & the evacuation efforts made by GoI. Thank them for the briefing & all stand united in the efforts to bring our students back home.”
Congress MPs, including Rahul Gandhi, who attended the meeting said that the government did not take effective steps on time regarding students stranded in Ukraine and that India should have acted more quickly to evacuate the stranded people. ‘‘Initially, advisories were not clear but confusing, and students decided to stay back. Government should have used India’s goodwill to mediate between Russia and Ukraine so that the violence would have stopped,’’ sources said, quoting the MPs.
— Rajesh Kumar Thakur (@hajipurrajesh) March 3, 2022
In a war, Rahul said, the country cannot adopt the partisan approach and should remain neutral to ensure safe passage. He also expressed concern over the growing China-Russia proximity and the geopolitical effect on the LAC.
Some of the MPs talked about the lower number of flights available in Ukraine at the beginning, which, they said, lead to an increase in fares.
India which is working against time to evacuate citizens from Ukraine on Monday said though conditions were “adverse” at the borders, it offered to help evacuate citizens of neighbouring and other developing countries stranded there, reports Arul Louis
India has said that efforts to evacuate its citizens from Ukraine have been hampered by “adverse conditions” at the borders, but it has also offered to help evacuate citizens of neighbouring and other developing countries stranded there.
India also said on Monday at a parallel Security Council and General Assembly meetings on Ukraine that it will be providing relief supplies to Ukraine that is suffering an invasion by Russia.
India’s Permanent Representative T.S. Tirumurti made the announcements with near-identical statements at the two meetings.
At the Security Council meeting called by French President Emmanuel Macron on unfettered humanitarian assistance in Ukraine, Tirumurti said, “Taking into account the humanitarian requirements in Ukraine, my government has also decided to provide urgent relief supplies, including medicines. These are expected to be despatched tomorrow.”
“We stand ready to help those from neighbours and developing countries who are also stranded in Ukraine and may seek assistance,” he said.
The emergency meeting of the Assembly was called by the Council under the norms set by the 1950 “Uniting for Peace” resolution for situations where the Council is paralysed by differences among the veto-wielding permanent members after Russia vetoed a resolution condemning its invasion and calling it to withdraw its troops.
This was only the 11th emergency session and the first in 40 years to be called by the Security Council.
At both meetings, Tirumurti expressed India’s deep concern over the deteriorating situation in Ukraine and called for an immediate end to the hostilities.
He said that India was worried about the safety of the thousands of its citizens stranded there whose evacuation was being hampered by the situation at the borders with Ukraine’s neighbours.
“Our evacuation efforts have been adversely impacted by the developments on ground at the border crossings,” Tirumurti said at the Council.
At the Assembly, he said, “The complex and uncertain situation at the border crossings has vastly impacted the uninterrupted and predictable movement of people. This important humanitarian necessity must be addressed immediately.”
400 students housed near Embassy since 24 Feb successfully left Kyiv by train through Mission's efforts. Ensured movement of more than 1000 🇮🇳n students from Kyiv towards Western 🇺🇦, today. Advised the remaining few students in Kyiv to leave once curfew is lifted.@MEAIndia
“The international community needs to ensure free and uninterrupted humanitarian access and smooth movement of all people keeping in view the humanitarian requirements in Ukraine,” he said.
“Given that the safety of Indian nationals is of paramount importance to my government, senior ministers from the government of India are being deployed as Special Envoys to Ukraine’s neighbouring countries,” Tirumurti said at the Council.
Hardeep Puri is to go to Hungary, Jyotiraditya Scindia to Romania and Moldova, Kiren Rijiju to Solvakia, and V.K. Singh to Poland to help with the evacuations.
Tirumurti thanked those countries for helping with the evacuation.
In a remark directed at Moscow, which he did not name, Tirumurti said at the Assembly, “All member states of the United Nations are not only obliged to follow the UN Charter, but also respect international law and territorial integrity and sovereignty of states.”
He said that India welcomed the direct talks between Ukraine and Russia that began at the Belarus border on Monday.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had advocated for cessation of hostilities and return to diplomacy when he spoke with Russia’s President Vladimir Putin and Ukraine’s President Voldymyr Zelentsky, he said.
“We reiterate our firm conviction that all differences in interests can only be bridged through honest, sincere and sustained dialogue,” he said at the Assembly.
At the Council meeting, France’s Permanent Representative Nicolas de Riviere called for safe and unimpeded humanitarian access and said that the protection of civilians and humanitarian workers is an absolute priority and there is no compromise on this.
He said that France and Mexico will propose a resolution to the Security Council calling for full respect for humanitarian law and unobstructed access for providing humanitarian assistance.
Under-Secretary-General Marting Griffiths, who is in charge of Humanitarian Affairs speaking from Geneva through a video link to the Council said, “We have all been watching the military offensive in Ukraine with a sense of disbelief and horror.”
He said that the aerial and ground attacks have resulted in an alarming level of human casualties and damage to civilian infrastructure like bridges, sanitation and electricity.
“This effectively leaves civilians without the basics for day-to-day life,” he added.
UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi, also speaking through a video link, said that there were already 5,20,000 Ukrainian refugees in neighbouring countries and the numbers could swell to 4 million.
Russia’s Permanent Representative Vasily Nebenzia asserted that there was no need for international humanitarian aid for Ukraine because in the areas under Russian control the military was providing assistance and there were no “acute humanitarian issues”.
He also claimed that Russia “does not have the aim of occupying Ukraine”.
At the Assembly, speaker after speaker either outrightly condemned the Russian invasion or at least spoke up for the UN charter and preserving territorial integrity of nations.
Syria was the rare country that made an all-out defence of Russia.
Kenya is an elected member of the Council and its Permanent Representative Martin Kimani apologied at the Assembly for the Council’s inaction and made the case for reforming the Council.
The MEA officials will arrive in Moldova by Monday morning to facilitate border crossing…reports Asian Lite News
India’s Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla on Sunday said that more than 1,000 Indian students have been evacuated so far and more will be airlifted by Monday via neighbouring countries of Ukraine.
Briefing the media here, he said that till now four flights have come back with Indian students and two are likely to depart tonight or by tomorrow morning to evacuate more students. “The Government of India has launched ‘multi-pronged’ Operation Ganga to evacuate our citizens stranded in Ukraine. This evacuation process will be at government cost,” he said.
He also said that the Indian Embassy in Kiev and Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) had issued a number of advisories prior to the start of war. Four thousand of our nationals had left before the conflict began, pursuant to these advisories. “We estimated that about 15,000 citizens were left in Ukraine,” he added.
Noting that since the airspace in Ukraine was closed, the Foreign Secretary further said, “We have identified land evacuation options from Hungary, Poland, Slovakia, and Romania wherein the specific border crossing points have been identified and the MEA had deployed teams to assist in the evacuation process.”
Admitting that border crossing to Hungary and Romania is functioning, however, the exit point to Poland is choked due to lakhs of foreign nationals trying to escape from that point. Those who are near the borders of Hungary and Romania are guided towards their border points in phases. He also said that the MEA officials have advised the stranded Indians to move towards westward to reach Uzhhorod in western Ukraine, at the border with Slovakia and near the border with Hungary and from there they can take a train to reach the Romanian capital Bucharest and from there they will be airlifted.
He also said that a hotline facility has been set up at the Indian Embassies in Hungary, Poland, Slovakia, and Romania and the numbers have been flashed in advisories, on the website and social media handles of the Ministry. This will work as an interface between the Indians there and the officials engaged in the evacuation process.
The Foreign Secretary also informed that the Minister of External Affairs S. Jaishankar has spoken to his counterparts in Hungary and Moldova seeking their support in evacuation of Indian nationals. The MEA officials will arrive in Moldova by Monday morning to facilitate border crossing.
Listing out the flights planned for evacuation for Indians via neighbouring countries, Shringla said that a total of nine flights were planned by the government through the civil aviation ministry via Bucharest and three via Budapest. Out of these 12 flights, five have come back with Indians so far.
Responding to a question, Shringla also said that a First Secretary level officer in the Indian embassy in Moscow has been asked to make arrangements for stay of Indian evacuees once the situation at the Russian border eases. Right now it is a conflict zone, therefore the evacuation cannot be from the Ukraine-Russian border.
“I called up both ambassadors of Russia & Ukraine separately, conveyed my concerns on the safety of Indian citizens. I shared the locations where Indian citizens are concentrated. Both ambassadors took note of our concerns & assured us of the safety of Indian citizens,” the Foreign Secretary added.
The second flight from Bucharest has taken off for Delhi with 250 Indian nationals, reports Asian Lite News
The first flight from Romania carrying Indian students who had left the conflict situation in Ukraine reached Mumbai on Saturday as the efforts continued for the safe evacuation of Indians in the wake of Russia’s military action in Ukraine.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday spoke with Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and conveyed India’s deep concern for the safety and security of Indian citizens, including students, present in Ukraine. He sought facilitation by Ukrainian authorities to expeditiously and safely evacuate Indian citizens.
President Zelenskyy briefed the Prime Minister in detail about the ongoing conflict situation in Ukraine.
PM Modi expressed his deep anguish about the loss of life and property due to the ongoing conflict.
Welcome back to the motherland!
Glad to see the smiles on the faces of Indians safely evacuated from Ukraine at the Mumbai airport.
He reiterated his call for an immediate cessation of violence and a return to dialogue and expressed India’s willingness to contribute in any way towards peace efforts.
In his tweet, Zelenskyy said he urged for India’s political support in UN Security Council against Russia.
“Spoke with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Informed of the course of Ukraine repulsing Russian aggression. More than 100,000 invaders are on our land. They insidiously fire on residential buildings. Urged India to give us political support in UN Security Council. Stop the aggressor together!” he said in a tweet.
Meanwhile, Russia appreciated India of its “balanced position” at UNSC voting on a resolution on the Ukraine crisis.
“Highly appreciate India’s independent and balanced position at the voting in the UNSC on February 25, 2022. In the spirit of the special and privileged strategic partnership, Russia is committed to maintaining a close dialogue with India on the situation around Ukraine,” Russian Embassy in India said in a tweet.
Russia on Friday vetoed a resolution at UN Security Council on Ukraine. India, China, and UAE abstained from the vote.
India’s embassy in Slovakia on Saturday said that it is in contact with the Government of Slovakia for evacuation of Indian citizens through the Uzhhorod-Vysne Nemecke border.
Meanwhile, under Operation Ganga, the second flight from Bucharest has taken off for Delhi carrying 250 Indian nationals, Jaishankar said on Saturday.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Saturday held a telephonic conversation with German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock and discussed the situation in Ukraine.
Amid the rising tensions, President Zelensky on Saturday urged Germany and Hungary to back Russia’s expulsion from the SWIFT banking system as Moscow continues its military operation in Ukraine.
Germany has just announced the provision of anti-tank grenade launchers and stinger missiles to Ukraine. Keep it up, Chancellor @OlafScholz! Anti-war coalition in action!
“We have almost full support from EU countries about disconnecting Russia from SWIFT. I hope Germany and Hungary will have the courage to support this decision,” Zelenskyy said in a video address that was posted on his Telegram channel, Sputnik News Agency reported today.
Kremlin Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said that Putin ordered the suspension of advancement of its troops on Friday but resumed on Saturday afternoon after Ukraine refused to negotiate.
“Yesterday afternoon, in connection with the expected negotiations with the Ukrainian leadership, the Russian president and supreme commander ordered the suspension of the advance of the main forces,” Peskov told reporters on Saturday.
Ukraine Health Minister Viktor Liashko has said that 198 Ukrainians were killed amid Russia’s military operation.
Liashko, in a Facebook post, shared the number of casualties in the Russian military operation in Ukraine so far. He also said that 1,115 Ukrainians have been wounded in three days of fighting.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy posted a video to social media showing himself walking around the streets of Kiev after a night of artillery fire in different parts of the city, telling the nation “I’m here.”
The United States on Saturday has also announced additional assistance to Ukraine which includes USD 350 million for immediate support to Ukraine against ongoing Russia’s military actions.
Ukraine Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba on Saturday said that France has agreed to supply military equipment to Keiv and supported a ban on Russia from SWIFT international banking system.
As the situation in Ukraine continued to be tense, more and more people are migrating to Poland. About 100,000 people have entered Poland from Ukraine over the last several days, a media report said citing the country’s Deputy Minister of Interior and Administration Pawel Szefernaker said on Saturday.
Ugo Astuto, Ambassador of the European Union to India and Bhutan on Saturday said that the EU will put forward a UN General Assembly resolution to demand immediate withdrawal of Russian forces amid tension between Kiev and Moscow.
“We will put forward a UN General Assembly resolution to demand immediate withdrawal of Russian forces,” Ugo Astuto said in a Tweet. (ANI)
These flights, containing more than 2,000 passengers, left Kabul and arrived at designated safe havens and staging areas in the CENTCOM area of operation, he said…reports Asian Lite News.
A total of 7,000 people have been evacuated from Afghanistan since the start of evacuation operations on August 14 and over 5,200 US troops are in Kabul, the Pentagon said on Thursday.
Cumulatively, the number of people moved out of Afghanistan is somewhere near 12,000.
The Taliban took control of Afghanistan on Sunday. Their sudden victory, which comes as the US withdraws from the country following a 20-year-war, has sparked chaos at Kabul’s airport, from where America and allied nations are trying to safely evacuate thousands of citizens and allies.
“The US military footprint and Kabul now has more than 5,200 total troops on the ground. Kabul airport remains secure and open for flight operations. There are now multiple gates that have access for entry into the airfield, which will help expedite processing in a safe and orderly manner,” said Major General Hank Taylor, Commanding General of the Army Operational Test Command.
Major General Taylor, who has been given the responsibility to airlift US citizens from Afghanistan amid the Taliban crisis, said in the past 24 hours, 13 C-17s arrived with additional troops and equipment, and 12 C-17 military planes departed.
These flights, containing more than 2,000 passengers, left Kabul and arrived at designated safe havens and staging areas in the CENTCOM area of operation, he said.
“Since the start of evacuation operations on August 14, we have airlifted approximately 7,000 total evacuees. This increase is reflective of both a ramp up of aircraft and airlift capability, faster processing of evacuees, and greater information and fidelity in reporting,” Taylor told reporters at a Pentagon news conference.
The US, he said, is ready to increase throughput and have scheduled aircraft departures accordingly.
“We intend to maximize each plane’s capacity. We’re prioritising people above all else. And we’re focused on doing this as safely as possible with absolute urgency,” he said.
At a separate news conference, State Department spokesperson Ned Price told reporters that there are 6,000 people at the airport right now who’ve been fully processed by a consular team and will soon board planes.
“Overnight, we significantly expanded how many American citizens locally employed staff, SIV applicants, and other vulnerable Afghans who are eligible for departure, and we offered to consider transit to the airport. We’re aware of congestion around the airport. We are working closely with the Department of Defense to facilitate safe and orderly access for consular processing on the airport compound,” he said.
Secretary of State Blinken spoke with the G7 foreign ministers and the high representative of the European Union to discuss the situation in Afghanistan, he said.
“All leaders underscored the imperative of safe passage for those who wish to leave Afghanistan and the need for an inclusive political resolution that protects the fundamental human rights of all Afghans,” Price said.
He said the leaders agreed that the international community’s relationship with the Taliban will depend on their actions and not their words.
“Blinken and the G7 foreign ministers also exchanged views on counterterrorism, humanitarian efforts, refugee migration, and they agreed to remain in close contact on all fronts going forward. Secretary Blinken thanked his foreign counterparts for their steadfast commitment to supporting the Afghan people,” Price said.
Indian companies operating out of Afghanistan are strongly advised to withdraw their Indian employees out of project sites before air travel gets discontinued, reports Asian Lite Newsdesk
The Ministry of External Affairs has asked Indians in Afghanistan to return immediately before commercial flights get discontinued in the war-torn country.
In a security advisory, the MEA said that as violence in Afghanistan is getting escalated, commercial air services to many provinces are getting discontinued.
“All Indian nationals visiting, staying and working in Afghanistan are strongly advised to keep themselves updated on the availability of commercial flights from various parts of Afghanistan and make immediate travel arrangements to return to India before commercial flights are discontinued in their place of stay in Afghanistan,” the MEA said.
India’s External Affairs Minister Dr S. Jaishankar
Indian companies operating out of Afghanistan are strongly advised to withdraw their Indian employees out of project sites before air travel gets discontinued, the ministry said.
Employees of Afghan or foreign companies should also ask their employers to facilitate their travel back to India from the project sites, the MEA said.
Earlier on Tuesday, India said that it is evacuating its nationals from Afghanistan on a “special flight” from Mazar-i-Sharif — the country’s fourth largest city — as Taliban fighters launch another offensive.
“A special flight is leaving from Mazar-e-Sharif to New Delhi. Any Indian nationals in and around Mazar-e-Sharif are requested to leave for India in the special flight scheduled to depart late today evening,” the Indian consulate in Mazar-e-Sharif tweeted.
It asked Indian citizens who want to leave by the special flight to submit the details like their full name and passport number to the consulate immediately.
Around 1,500 Indians are currently staying in Afghanistan.
Last month, India had pulled out around 50 diplomats and security personnel from its consulate in Kandahar following intense clashes between Afghan forces and Taliban fighters around the city.
UN urged to declare Taliban a ‘destructive group’
Afghanistan’s newly-appointed Ambassador to the United Nations (UN) Gholam Mohammad Ishaaqzai urged the United Nations to declare the Taliban a destructive group and to take urgent actions against it.
The government of Afghanistan wants the international community to look at and pressure the main centres of the Taliban in Pakistan, Afghanistan Times reported citing Ishaaqzai.
He also said since the Taliban are not adhering to their commitments, it has thus become the responsibility of the world to take urgent actions against them,” the envoy added.
He also urged Islamabad to stop supporting Taliban and join the world caravan in cooperating with the government of Afghanistan to reach sustainable peace.
This is not the first time when Afghan top officials have blamed Pakistan and its Army for providing a safe haven to the insurgent groups and their affiliates.
The Taliban with the help of the Pakistani Army has intensified attacks in the Nangarhar Province and captured some security check posts in border districts of Achin and Pacher wa Agam. Hesarak, Sherzad, Pacher wa Agam, Deh Bala (Hska Mina), Achin, and Surkhrod Districts have seen an increase in attacks by the insurgents.
According to reports, in the wake of rising casualties among Taliban cadres and its affiliates, including Al-Qaeda, a number of injured terrorists have been relocated to Quetta city for medical treatment. (IANS/ANI/Sputnik)
