India urges its nationals in Afghanistan's Mazar-i-Sharif to leave today on 'special fight' as Taliban advances

India on Tuesday urged its nationals in Afghanistan to leave the nation on a 'special flight' from Mazar-i-Sharif to New Delhi. This came as the Taliban is advancing in Afghanistan's fourth-largest city, Mazar-i-Sharif from different directions. 

The Indian consulate in Mazar-i-Sharif in a tweet said, "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: Consulate General of India in Mazar-e-Sharif, Afghanistan."

It asked Indian citizens, who want to leave Mazar by the special flight today (August 10), to give their details like name, passport number, date of expiry on WhatsApp at 0785891303, 0785891301 numbers.

This comes after the Taliban on Monday said their sights are now on Mazar-i-Sharif. A Taliban spokesperson said the insurgents' group had launched a four-pronged attack on the city and he said they have captured Sheberghan to its west and Kunduz and Taliban in the east, an NDTV report said.

India in July pulled out nearly 50 diplomats and security personnel from the Indian consulate in Kandahar, which came after intense classes between Afghan forces and Taliban in the city. India has asked its nationals staying, working or visiting Afghanistan to follow caution and avoid non-essential travel. 

Last month, Indian photojournalist Danish Siddiqui was killed in Kandahar's Spin Boldark city, where he was covering a clash between Afghan forces and Taliban fighters.