India should consider re-strategising options

Within two days of the Taliban’s capture of the Afghan capital, New Delhi had evacuated around 200 people, including the Ambassador and other embassy staffers. File photo

There are disconcerting reports that hundreds of Indians are still stuck in Afghanistan, more than a week after the Taliban seized control of Kabul on August 15. These include workers who had been deployed at the sites of various projects in the war-torn country. Within two days of the Taliban’s capture of the Afghan capital, New Delhi had evacuated around 200 people, including the Ambassador and other embassy staffers. The first evacuation flight brought back over 40 people on August 16, followed by 150 others a day later. The Indian government seems to have thought and acted uni-dimensionally by closing the embassy and airlifting the diplomats and other officials right away.

Though the government has been reiterating that the evacuation of all Indians from Afghanistan is its top priority, some bottlenecks impeding the process have not been removed. Many Indian workers have found themselves stranded as they are not in possession of their passports – these had been deposited with their employers, who fled for their lives as the Taliban made rapid inroads into the cities. Documentation or lack of it should not be a decisive factor when the safety of citizens is at stake, especially when no embassy staffers are around to provide assistance.

The Centre needs to consider its options sooner than later in the interests of these citizens. Such moves would necessitate keeping all channels of communication open with the Taliban. India has pumped over $3 billion into Afghanistan in the past two decades, including investments in over 400 infrastructure projects across the country. With a Taliban-led government set to take shape, India should go all out to protect its strategic interests and build on the development initiatives undertaken in healthcare, education and other sectors. The strength of the bilateral ties can be gauged from the fact that Afghanistan’s new parliament building was raised with funds disbursed by India. All the good work and the consequent goodwill must not go down the drain. Certain Indian presence in Kabul is a prerequisite for engaging constructively with the new rulers.

Two senior employees of the Military Engineering Services (MES) were arrested after they were allegedly caught accepting a bribe of Rs 40,000 here, an official said on Sunday. Photo for representation only

Jammu, August 22

Two senior employees of the Military Engineering Services (MES) were arrested after they were allegedly caught accepting a bribe of Rs 40,000 here, an official said on Sunday.

Assistant Garrison Engineer Abhay Kumar and Junior Engineer Atma Singh were caught taking Rs 20,000 each in a swift operation on Saturday following a complaint about their involvement in corrupt practices, the spokesperson of the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) said.

He said searches were conducted at the official and residential premises of the accused and further investigation was under progress. The spokesperson said the ACB received the complaint alleging that contracts for different kinds of works were allotted by Garrison Engineer (North), Akhnoor, for construction of various types of building to be utilised by the Army between 2017-2020. — PTI

Premises searched

• After Assistant Garrison Engineer Abhay Kumar and Junior Engineer Atma Singh were caught, ACB officials searched their houses and offices
• Officials said they were delaying completion certificate process for clearance of payment to complainant for bribe

Search operations are being spearheaded by a Commodore rank officer from the Indian Navy who is expert in maritime rescue operations, along with an Indian Army Brigadier having expertise in civil engineering aspects

Police personnel inspect the site after a helicopter of the Indian Army crashed near Ranjit Sagar Dam in Kathua district. PTI file

Vijay Mohan

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 23

The Army has created a makeshift floating platform in the Ranjit Sagar Reservoir for conducting diving operations to search for the body of one of the pilots who was onboard the Rudra helicopter that had crashed into the reservoir on August 3.

The search operations are being spearheaded by a Commodore rank officer from the Indian Navy who is expert in maritime rescue operations, along with an Indian Army Brigadier having expertise in civil engineering aspects, according to a statement issued by the Army today.

In addition, search operations are being monitored round the clock with General Officer Commanding, 29 Infantry Division and General Officer Commanding 9 Corps making regular visits to the crash site so that same continue to be executed at a war footing.

A “whole of nation approach” has been adopted by the armed forces by employing best of the equipment available in the country to locate the wreckage. This includes remotely operated underwater vehicles, handheld navigation system with sonar, side scanner sonar with echo sensor and portable transducer, divers propulsion vehicle, multi beam sonar and submarine rescue unit of the Navy. 

In addition, Special Forces commandos along with Marine Commandos of the Navy are carrying out continuous diving in the areas being identified through the technical means. 

Various agencies like National Disaster Relief Force, civilians experts and dam authorities have also been incorporated in the search operations.

The Indian Navy has been constantly upscaling and upgrading the equipment being used for this search and salvage operation. The challenge of operating remotely controlled equipment at a depth where human intervention is not feasible and where the visibility is no more than few inches are being handled by incorporating multi beam sonars.

A Lieutenant Colonel and a Captain of the Army Aviation Corps were onboard the ill-fated aircraft. The body of the Lieutenant Colonel had been retrieved on August 15.

Will reach India by Monday night, say sources

Sri Guru Granth Sahib being taken out of Afghanistan. Photo via Tribune

New Delhi, August 23

Sri Guru Granth Sahib and 46 Afghan Hindus and Sikhs and several Indian passport holders are expected to arrive in India on Monday amid growing tension in Afghanistan.

Sources said the stranded Indian nationals and 46 Afghan Hindus and Sikhs, with Sri Guru Granth Sahib, are currently inside the Hamid Karzai International Airport at Kabul and will reach India by Monday night. They are being escorted to the Indian Air Force aircraft.

Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee and SAD leader Manjinder Singh Sirsa said, “3 Sri Guru Granth Sahib and 46 Indian passport holders will arrive in India today. We thank GoI & PM Modi for helping Hindus-Sikhs in Afghanistan. We’re in touch with minorities in Kabul who wish to be evacuated.”
In a separate development, one more private plane carrying Indian nationals landed at the Indira Gandhi International Airport on Monday morning. However, out of a total of 30 persons who have been evacuated from Kabul via Qatar, two have tested positive for Covid.

“Two persons out of 146 people who have returned to India from Afghanistan today have tested positive for Covid,” said Rajinder Kumar, Nodal Officer (Delhi govt) for Covid testing of Afghanistan returnees. IANS

Anti-Soviet and anti-Taliban commanders gather in Panjshir Valley, Afghanistan. Reuters

Sandeep Dikshit

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, August 23

As the Taliban began amassing fighters around the defiant Panjshir Valley, Ahmad Massoud, the son of the legendary anti-Taliban commander Ahmad Shah Massoud, said he was hoping for negotiations but was ready for war.

Boost for Resistance 2

Social media shows helicopters reported to have been brought into Panjshir Valley from nearby Tajikistan

People are united

The people of Panjshir Valley are united. They want to defend, to fight, to resist against any totalitarian regime — Ahmad Massoud, Panjshir Leader

Amid reports of fighting in the neighbouring Baghlan with conflicting claims and counter-claims, Panjshir was calm and preparing for the worst.

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said his forces had retaken Deh Salah and Pul-e-Hesar districts from Resistance 2 in the Baghlan province, next to Panjshir. Social media showed helicopters reported to have been brought into Panjshir from nearby Tajikistan. This would be a major boost to Resistance2 fighters, but Collective Security Treaty Organisation secretary-general Stanislav Zas said he had no information when asked if there was an air corridor between Panjshir and Tajikistan for delivering arms to the only Afghan province that has remained outside Taliban control.

Afghanistan’s first Vice-President Amrullah Saleh, who is in the Valley with Massoud, claimed his forces had blocked the vital Salang highway, but the Taliban said it was under their control. Saleh too acknowledged that the Taliban had massed forces near the entrance to Panjshir.

Addressing questions on the unity of politicians of the Panjshir Valley, Massoud replied: “The people of are very much united. They want to defend, to fight, to resist against any totalitarian regime.” However, many Afghans on social media said they were weary of war and the warring parties should negotiate.

The Massoud-Saleh duo was joined by Yar Mohammad Dostum, the son of Uzbek warlord Abdul Rashid Dostum, who has fled to Turkey after initial bravado against the Taliban at Mazar-e-Sharif. More important, the Dostums are understood to have flown some Mi-35 helicopters and A-29 aircraft to the neighbouring Uzbekistan for safekeeping. 

70, including Indians, Afghanistan Sikhs & Hindus, flown to Dushanbe

Afghan refugees protest outside the UNHCR office in New Delhi. Mukesh Aggarwal

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, August 23

Even as India evacuated 146 of its nationals in four different flights from Qatar’s capital Doha on Monday, the Union Government called an all-party meeting on Thursday on the developments in Afghanistan.

Edit: Prioritise evacuation

Afghan soldier dies in airport firefight

• An Afghan soldier was killed in a firefight outside Kabul airport on Monday as Taliban moved to quell resistance.

Music killed in Af: Student’s message

• “Music killed in Afghanistan!” This message was sent by an Af student to a noted sitar player in India. INSIDE

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi said External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar would brief the floor leaders of political parties on the present situation in Afghanistan in the in-person meeting. The government’s briefing is expected to focus on its evacuation mission from Afghanistan as well as its assessment of the situation in the war-torn country. Those evacuated today were earlier airlifted from Afghanistan by NATO and US aircraft. This was the second batch of Indians to be brought back from Doha after their evacuation from Kabul. At least 104 people were brought back in a Vistara flight, 30 by a Qatar Airways flight and 11 by an Indigo flight. One person returned by an Air India flight, sources said.

Chaos continued to prevail at Kabul airport in the backdrop of increasing Taliban hostility. A firefight just outside the airport killed at least one Afghan soldier early this morning, German officials said.

Over 37,000 people have been evacuated from Kabul in the last eight days, but that still leaves behind several fearful minorities, including over 250 Afghan Sikhs and Hindus who have taken shelter at Gurdwara Karte Parwan in Kabul. Their leaders, including two lawmakers, have reached India along with their relatives.

Ahead of a G-7 virtual meeting on Tuesday, the Taliban warned against extending the complete pullout of foreign forces by August 31, which is being pushed by UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

Faced with a financial crunch and a falling currency, the Taliban appointed an acting director general of the country’s central bank — Da Afghanistan Bank — after the IMF disbursed $650 billion in Covid aid to all countries on Monday, barring the war-torn nation.

Though several Taliban leaders were in Kabul and held dialogues with members of the former ruling regime, there was no indication about the government formation.

The three chiefs reviewed the ongoing training of cadets and the available training and administrative infrastructure of the NDA

The three chiefs of the Indian Army, Navy, and Air Force visited their alma mater the National Defence Academy (NDA) at Khadakwasla. Source: Screenshot/Instagram/@ indianarmy.adgpi.

Pune, August 21

The three chiefs of the Indian Army, Navy, and Air Force visited their alma mater the National Defence Academy (NDA) at Khadakwasla here in Maharashtra and reviewed the available training and administrative infrastructure, a defence release said on Saturday.

The two-day visit (August 20 and 21) of Admiral Karambir Singh, Chief of the Naval Staff, Air Chief Marshal Rakesh Kumar Singh Bhadauria, Chief of the Air Staff, and General MM Naravane, Chief of the Army Staff, marks a “historical moment” for this prestigious tri-Service training academy as all three service chiefs are course-mates from the 56th course of the NDA, which is rare and unique, it said.

Earlier, it was only in 1991 that all three service chiefs were course-mates from the first NDA (erstwhile Joint Services Wing) course.

“The very idea and thought of them visiting their alma-mater together not only reaffirms the eternity of the bonds of camaraderie imbibed in the academy, but also signifies the spirit of ‘jointmanship’ which this tri-service training institution stands for,” the release read.

Speaking on behalf of the three chiefs on this occasion, Admiral Singh dwelled upon the emerging trends of modern warfare, it said.

He also exhorted the cadets to imbibe the basic tenets of modern military leadership.

The three chiefs reviewed the ongoing training of cadets and the available training and administrative infrastructure of the NDA.

During their visit, the chiefs paid homage at the ‘Hut of Remembrance’, which commemorates the sacrifice of ex-NDA officers of the Armed Forces who laid down their lives in the line of duty. The service chiefs also visited their parent squadrons ‘Hunter’ (Naval Chief) & ‘Lima’ (Army & Air Chiefs), and interacted with the cadets of the respective squadrons, according to the release.

Notably, the Supreme Court on Wednesday allowed eligible women to take the examination for admission to the NDA, scheduled to be held on September 5.

The top court, however, said that the women candidates can take the examination subject to further orders of the court. — PTI

Lessons many forget at their own peril from the battle of Maiwand, midway on the road from Kandahar to Herat, fought on July 27, 1880

Photo for representational purpose only.

Lt Gen Baljit Singh (Retd)

Today, as most of us are submerged under a flood of texts and images of the lightning blitzkrieg by the Afghan warlords, my mind flashes to the battle of Maiwand, midway on the road from Kandahar to Herat, on July 27, 1880. What began as a show of force, or “Flag March” in common parlance, led to an unintended and unanticipated “Meeting Engagement” between Ayub Khan, the warlord of Herat, and Brigadier George Burrow of the British South Afghanistan Field Force. While Ayub Khan had the advantage of intimate knowledge of the contours of the battlefield, Brigadier Burrow, a seasoned professional, had no option but to drop anchor, as it were, where he happened to be.

The combat elements of Burrow’s brigade, namely the 66th Regiment of Foot, the 1st Bombay Native Infantry (Grenadiers), the 30th Bombay Native Infantry (Jacob’s Rifles), the 3rd (Queen’s Own) Bombay Light Cavalry, 3rd Sind Horse and two Batteries of Royal Horse Artillery, all boasted of distinguished battlefield heritage. Taken together, they “made up a fighting strength of 1,800 bayonets, 550 sabres and 12 pieces of Artillery”. Here again, Ayub Khan had the upper hand with highly fired up “6,000 regular Infantry, cavalry element equivalent of six regular regiments and 36 Artillery guns”.

The mission expressly given to Burrow was: “… you have full liberty to attack Ayub, if you consider you are strong enough to do so… is of greatest political importance that his force should be dispersed and prevented by all possible means from passing on to Ghazni”; the latter part necessitated because Lt Gen Sir Fredrick Roberts, VC (later Commander in Chief, Indian Army), who had surrounded Kabul, was yet to bring its regime to surrender.

However, as in the game of chess, Ayub Khan had the advantage of the first mover and deftly manoeuvred his force for the kill, yet mindful of Burrow’s Artillery reach while creating a horseshoe formation around his beleaguered foe. Burrow was desperate for time for the Infantry to dig minimal trenches under the scorching heat, reconnoitre for a source of drinking water and attempt for Artillery ammunition replenishments.

As Ayub squeezed the horseshoe into a circle, Burrow was left with no option but to commence the battle by Artillery concentrations at 1130 hours and as may be imagined, Ayub countered with multiple intrusions from flanks and frontally and kept raising the tempo such that by 1330 hours, Burrow had exhausted all Artillery ammunition and on-person, drinking water. Despite every tactical stratagem of Burrow, by 1500 hours, the battle “was a physical impossibility. What with the fatigue of three hours’ march, added to over four hours’ march in the morning… exposure to heavy fire under a blazing sun… the men had stood fighting without food or water, it was utterly beyond human energy to run, mobbed as they were by hundreds of the enemy…”

And for the first and only time in the history of the British Army in India, a message was sent to GHQ, Simla, by Lt Gen Sir Donald Stewart from Kandahar: “Total defeat and dispersion of Brigadier Burrow’s force. Heavy loss in both officers and men.”

The figures were staggering; to Burrow’s 962 dead and 177 wounded, Ayub’s dead were 2,750 and 1,500 wounded. In addition, the camp followers (horse holders, grass cutters, bishtis, etc) by some counts were at least 1,500 dead and as many wounded. The logistical animal-train (camels, donkeys and ponies) fared no better.

Yet there were moments of great valour and extraordinary camaraderie as revealed by the severely wounded Surgeon-Major Preston of the 66th Regiment “…I had been lying on the ground for sometime… Captain Slade, Royal Artillery, at once determined to save my life… he abandoned the gun, and had me put on the limber… there was heavy firing from the village… it was at this stage that Gunner Collis won the Victoria Cross by running out towards the snipers to draw their fire on himself”. Incidentally, in time, Surgeon Preston would be none other than Sherlock Holmes’ Dr Watson!

And there is a tender episode from Maiwand connected with a young Afghan who on noticing “Afghan soldiers falter, used her veil as a standard and encouraged the men by shouting:

‘Young love if you do not fall in battle of Maiwand,

By God! Someone is saving you as a token of shame.’”

And the echo of that exhortation in the region of the lofty Hindu Kush mountains is not lost on the warlords to this day!

Officers among several critical due to exhaustion

Photo for representational purpose only. File photo

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 21

An Army jawan died while several others are in a critical condition after more than 30 soldiers collapsed due to heat and exhaustion during routine training at Mamun military station near Pathankot today.

The incident took place during a 10-km endurance run while carrying weapons and battle load as part of a recce troop competition being organised by the 9 Corps in the morning, when the weather was hot and humid.

Treatment under way

Due to severe weather conditions, there has been one fatal casualty and a few individuals admitted to the Military Hospital, Pathankot. The affected persons are being closely monitored. —Western command officer

“In an organised, supervised and monitored training activity near Pathankot, due to severe weather conditions, there has been one fatal casualty and a few individuals admitted to the Military Hospital, Pathankot. The affected persons are being closely monitored and provided with requisite medical care,” an officer at the Western Command said.

Those admitted to the hospital included officers. The training activity was being undertaken by 11 officers, 11 junior commissioned officers and 120 other ranks.

The officials said the weather was hot and humid when the training activity was taking place

Photo for representation only. Source: iStock.

New Delhi, August 21

One Army jawan died, and a few others were injured during a supervised training activity at Mamun military station near Pathankot in Punjab on Saturday as the weather conditions were “severe”, said senior officials.

The senior Army officials said that the affected jawans have been admitted at the military hospital in Pathankot and are being provided with required medical care.

The officials said the weather was hot and humid when the training activity was taking place.

The training activity was organised, supervised and monitored in the area under the 9 Corps of the Indian Army, they said.

They said due to “severe” weather conditions, there has been one fatal casualty and a few jawans have been admitted to the hospital. — PTI