NEW DELHI: India has withdrawn as many as 50 Indian diplomats and security officials from its consulate in Kandahar considering the deteriorating security situation in Afghanistan as the Taliban has started gaining control of areas around the southern Afghan city.

Officials said that 50 Indians were flown to New Delhi in an Indian Air Force plane on Saturday.

According to India Today, local staffers are still on the mission.

MEA Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said, “You would have seen the clarification issued by our Embassy in Kabul earlier this week that our Embassy in Kabul and Consulates in Kandahar and Mazar-e-Sharif are functional.”

“We are, however, carefully monitoring the deteriorating security situation in Afghanistan and its implications on the safety and security of Indian nationals in Afghanistan. Our response will be calibrated accordingly,” he added

(With inputs from India Today)