Hundreds of Indians are still waiting outside the chaotic Kabul airport to be evacuated.
As India scrambles to evacuate its citizens from Kabul following the Taliban's take-over of the city earlier this week, hundreds, including women and hapless children, are caught in trying conditions. The Air Force has flown several sorties over the past few days to airlift people, but many remain scared, tired, and desperate.
The mother of one such Indian citizen, waiting outside the airport in the Afghan capital, spoke to NDTV about the nightmare her daughter and two-year-old grandson are living through.
The 32-year-old, married to a citizen of Afghanistan, has been waiting there for the past three days in the hope of being taken to safety.
"They were asked by people in the Indian Embassy three days ago to come to the (Kabul) airport without any luggage. For three days they were accommodated in a wedding hall near the airport and asked not to step out," said the anxious mother of the 32-year-old.
"Last night, around 12, they were again taken in a bus to the airport. They all waited in the bus till 11 this morning. Then the Taliban came and took away around 150 of them," she said. "My son-in-law lives nearby. He called in his younger brother and managed to take my daughter away from there."
Shortly after, the Taliban released those people after checking their documents. Now the woman and her son are still waiting outside the airport. She is utterly scared and nervous, according to mother in India.
"In a way, she has been on the road for the past three days...There is no milk for the child. There is no water to drink," said the mother in Delhi.
"I request the Indian government to bring them back safely."
Around 250-300 Indians are still crammed inside the wedding hall, according to her daughter.