Kathmandu, Aug 21 (PTI) The Nepal government has evacuated an additional 35 of its nationals from Afghanistan, taking the total number of evacuees from the strife-torn nation to 505, the foreign ministry said here on Saturday.

Nepal has been making efforts to bring back its citizens stuck in Afghanistan following the fall of Kabul to Taliban earlier this week. Other 317 Nepalese nationals residing in Afghanistan have registered their names asking for their rescue, the ministry said.

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The Nepalese nationals waiting for rescue have been in touch with the Foreign Ministry in Kathmandu and the Nepal Embassy in New Delhi for necessary preparations.

The task force formed by the Nepal government to repatriate stranded Nepalese from Afghanistan will continue in coordination with friendly countries, the ministry said.

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The rescued Nepalis boarded regular and chartered flights to arrive in Nepal. Arrangements have been made for the rescued Nepalis to go back to their homes after their COVID-19 tests and other health checkups at a holding centre in Kathmandu in coordination with the Ministry of Home Affairs, it said.

The Taliban seized power in Afghanistan on Sunday, two weeks before the US was set to complete its troop withdrawal after a costly two-decade war.

The insurgents stormed across the country, capturing all major cities in a matter of days, as Afghan security forces trained and equipped by the US and its allies melted away.

Thousands of Afghans are fleeing the country to escape the new Taliban regime and to seek asylum in different nations, including the US and many European nations.

The US and other Western powers are pressing on with the evacuation from Afghanistan of their nationals and some of their Afghan staff from Kabul airport.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)