KATHMANDU: Two hundred and eighty-eight Nepali people have arrived home from Afghanistan after the Taliban took over the war-ravaged country.

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 118 arrived in Kathmandu on Tuesday morning, 84 at night, 61 on Wednesday morning and 25 during the day.

Saying that the rescue of Nepali people from Afghanistan is underway, the Ministry has said urged all the Nepali people stranded in the war-torn country to register their details on its website.

According to a press note released by the Ministry, out of 296 Nepali people who registered their details, 16 people have been brought to Nepal.

As many as 437 Nepali migrant workers who had gone to Afghanistan on a labor permit are awaiting their rescue, according to two manpower agencies.

This information was given by two manpower companies that sent Nepali workers to Afghanistan from Nepal. The Department of Foreign Employment had directed the two manpower companies involved in sending Nepali workers to Afghanistan to provide information about the situation of Nepalis.

According to the directive, FSI Old Manpower Company and Universal Connection Manpower Company of Kathmandu have provided such information.

The department also said that 437 Nepalis have been contacted so far and are waiting for the rescue at the Kabul International Airport.

Director General of the Department, Krishna Prasad Duwadi, said that rescue of those who had reached Afghanistan from two manpower agencies has been started.

According to the Department, the number of people arriving in Afghanistan with labor permits is around 1,500. But the government does not have exact figures on how many Nepalis are currently in Afghanistan, including the number of people arriving from neighboring India and third countries.

According to the Nepali workers working there, there are about 15,000 Nepalis in different parts of Afghanistan, both legally and illegally.