Two of the seven Indians who were kidnapped in Afghanistan back in 2018 and were released from captivity on 31 July, returned to India on 4 August. As per the Ministry of Home Affairs (MEA), a total of six Indian nationals have now been released so far from captivity.
“We thank the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan for their constant and unwavering support in securing the release of the Indians,” MEA said.
WHAT HAPPENED IN 2018
Seven Indian nationals were abducted by unidentified armed men from the Bagh-e-Shamal village of provincial capital Pul-e-Khomre in Afghanistan. Later it was confirmed that the Taliban was responsible for this act.
WHO WERE THE ABDUCTED?
The abducted people were staff members of KEC International Ltd, a construction engineering company that had then bagged a Rs 226 crore contract in Afghanistan.
More than sixty Indians were working for KEC carrying out operations in different projects across Afghanistan.
KEC has been helping in the development of electricity infrastructure in Afghanistan.
THIS HAS HAPPENED BEFORE
According to Livemint, India’s embassy in Afghanistan had been a target of suicide bombings and kidnappings even before the abduction in 2018.
The Indian embassy in Kabul had been attacked twice — once in 2008 and then the very next year.
In 2016, Indian aid worker Judith D’Souza was kidnapped by unidentified gunmen but was later released after 40 days.
In 2015, Alexis Prem Kumar, a Jesuit priest from Tamil Nadu was kidnapped in Herat, but was later rescued.
Of the seven individuals who were abducted in 2018, four had returned earlier — one in March 2019 and three others the same year in October in exchange for 11 Taliban prisoners.
Just two days ago, Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke with Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani and discussed the evolving security situation in Afghanistan and talked about how the two nations can cooperate to fight against terrorism.
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