A military chopper flies during a joint Russia-Tajikistan-Uzbekistan drill, intended to simulate a joint response to potential security threats coming from Afghanistan, near the Afghan border on Tuesday

With the security situation in Afghanistan continuously worsening, the government has "strongly advised" Indians to make travel arrangements for their return before commercial air services are halted.
As the advancing Taliban forces mounted an attack on Mazar-i-Sharif, Afghanistan's largest city in the north, the government on Tuesday evacuated Indian nationals in and around the city, including the consulate staff, by a special IAF flight late evening. As per international media reports, thousands have fled from Mazar-i-Sharif and its adjoining areas.
Like in Kandahar, from where too the government had recently evacuated Indian nationals, the Indian consulate in Mazar-i-Sharif will continue to function with local staff.
In a fresh security advisory, the third since late June, the Indian embassy in Kabul also advised Indian firms operating in Afghanistan to immediately withdraw their Indian employees out of project sites before air travel services are discontinued. It asked Indian nationals working for domestic or foreign companies in Afghanistan to immediately request their employers to facilitate their travel from project sites to India in view of ground situation.
It said violence in many parts of Afghanistan had escalated and commercial air travel services to many provinces and cities were being discontinued. About 1,500 Indians are currently living in Afghanistan.
The embassy said the advisory was also applicable to Indian journalists working in Afghanistan.
"It is very essential that all Indian media persons arriving/staying in Afghanistan to establish contact with public affairs and security wing of the embassy for a personalized briefing, including specific advice for the location they are traveling to," it said.