New Delhi, December 11
India on Saturday sent humanitarian aid, including medical supplies, to the people of Afghanistan in line with its commitment to help the people of Afghanistan in their difficult times.
Medical supplies were sent on a return flight that brought 10 Indians and 94 Afghans from Kabul to Delhi on Friday.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said that the consignment would be handed over to the representatives of the World Health Organization (WHO) in Kabul.
“In view of the challenging humanitarian situation in Afghanistan, the Government of India has today sent humanitarian assistance, including medical supplies, on the return flight,” the Ministry of External Affairs said.
“These medicines will be handed over to the WHO representatives in Kabul and given at the Indira Gandhi Children’s Hospital, Kabul,” it said in a statement.
The special flight from Kabul to Delhi, chartered by India, brought 10 Indians and 94 Afghans on Friday, the MEA said.
It said, “The flight brought 10 Indians and 94 Afghans, including members of the Afghan minority community. Members of the minority community took with them two ‘Swaroops of the Guru Granth Sahib’ and some ancient Hindu manuscripts.”
The people were brought under India’s ‘Operation Devi Shakti’, which was launched after the Taliban’s takeover of Kabul on 15 August to evacuate Indians as well as Afghans from Afghanistan.
“So far, a total of 669 people have been evacuated from Afghanistan under ‘Operation Devi Shakti’. This includes 448 Indians and 206 Afghans, including members of the Afghan Hindu/Sikh minority community,” the Ministry of External Affairs said.
In August, 565 people, including 438 Indians, were evacuated from Afghanistan. PTI