Modi, Putin discuss Afghan, agree to form bilateral channel | 14-day quarantine for Afghan evacuees

Union minister Hardeep Singh Puri and two others carry saroops of Guru Granth Sahib brought from Kabul, at IGI Airport. PTI

Sandeep Dikshit

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, August 24

US President Joe Biden turned down pleas from other G7 leaders for extending the deadline for the withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan.

A tweet from the White House skipped the deadline extension aspect and said Biden discussed at G7 a continuation of “our close coordination on Afghanistan policy, humanitarian assistance and evacuating citizens and vulnerable Afghans”.

• Also read: Hope Pak terror groups don’t use Afghan soil: India at UNHRC
• Taliban to send team to Panjshir for talks

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the G7 had agreed on a roadmap for “future engagement with the Taliban, but are currently insisting on ‘safe passage’ beyond the August 31 deadline”. Sensing US firmness in pulling out, India and Russia have decided to set up a permanent bilateral channel for consultations to discuss Afghanistan.

“It is important for the two strategic partners to work together,’’ said an MEA readout of the 45-minute conversation between PM Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

PM Modi had on Monday conferred with German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Afghanistan. Along with Italy and Spain, Berlin is playing an important role in evacuations from Kabul and has soldiers on the ground.

Separately, NSA Ajit Doval flagged to his BRICS counterparts, including from Russia and China, cross-border terrorism by groups such as Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) which enjoy state support and threaten peace and security.

Their activities tend to slip under the radar during global talks on terrorism in the region and were flagged by Doval at the virtual meeting of “BRICS High Representatives Responsible for National Security”, which he had hosted.

CIA Director meets Taliban top leader

CIA chief William Burns travelled to Kabul this week for talks with Taliban leader Mullah Baradar, US media reported as the US came under pressure from allies to extend withdrawal deadline

78 more evacuated from Afghanistan

India on Tuesday brought back 78 persons, including its 25 nationals and some Afghan Sikhs and Hindus, from Dushanbe, a day after they were evacuated from Kabul

Taliban to send team to Panjshir for talks

On a tense day around Panjshir when the resistance forces stalled Taliban march, reports said the insurgents agreed to send a team for talks with Ahmad Massoud