Infant without passport amongst passengers evacuated from Kabul by IAF

An infant who was onboard the C-17 transport aircraft of the Indian Air Force from Kabul that landed at Hindon air base on Sunday morning, reported news agency ANI, adding that the toddler travelled without a passport. “An infant has also landed in a special IAF flight to India without a passport,” an evacuation co-ordinating official told ANI.

A video uploaded on the news agency’s Twitter showed the child in their mother’s arms, as another young girl embraced the child out of joy. Several other children were also evacuated from Kabul by the IAF. “Situation was deteriorating in Afghanistan, so I came here with my daughter and two grandchildren. Our Indian brothers and sisters came to our rescue. They (Taliban) burnt down my house. I thank India for helping us,” one of the evacuees told news agency ANI. During Friday prayers in Kabul an imam said those trying to flee a Taliban rule do not possess strong religious convictions, reported AFP.

The IAF evacuated more than 168 individuals, including 107 Indians, 23 Afghans, Sikhs and Hindus, out of the war-torn nation on Sunday. The news agency did not mention the infant’s nationality. Two more flights carrying evacuees from Kabul, including a special Air India flight carrying 87 Indians and two Nepalese citizens, landed on Saturday. India has been allowed to operate two flights a day, by the American and North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) forces, to evacuate nationals stranded in Afghanistan, reported news agency ANI.

Most roads in the capital city Kabul are deserted, but the roads which lead to Kabul airport are choked with traffic, reported news agency AFP on Sunday. The US military sent a helicopter to rescue more than 150 Americans who were unable to reach the airport. The US and its allies have been trying to evacuate all of their citizens as the official withdrawal date of the troops on August 31 looms on the horizon.