Better security for officials in 'vulnerable' Afghanistan

New Delhi, Mar 2 (PTI) India on Tuesday said Afghanistan
remains a "vulnerable" area for Indian assets as the
government plans to provide more and better security to its
nationals posted in the war-ravaged country.
"There were intelligence alerts that Indian assets may
be targeted, following which adequate steps were taken but
Afghanistan is a vulnerable area," Union Home Minister P
Chidambaram said on Friday's attack in Kabul in which six
Indians lost their lives.
The Home Minister's comments comes close on the heels of
a government move to send another contingent of Indo-Tibetan
Border Police personnel to strengthen security of Indian
interests in war-torn Afghanistan.
The Afghanistan government has agreed to the Indian
demand of sending more security forces to guard vital
installations and ongoing development projects, which have
become the target of terror groups operating in the region.
The Home Ministry is also planning to move Indian
officials, including doctors, to safer locations in
Afghanistan after terrorists struck at two hotels on Friday in
which Indians engaged in developmental and reconstruction
works were hit, official sources said.
Realising that the Taliban and their associates have
started targeting Indian officials who are in the field and
are vulnerable, India has begun a review of their security.
There are about 4,000 Indians engaged in such projects--
being implemented as part of India's developmental assistance
to the tune of 1.3 billion dollars to Afghanistan.
A team of investigators is already in Kabul, joining a
probe being conducted by Afghan authorities into last Friday's
terror attack. PTI ACB
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