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Nepal govt says it is ready to arrange Nepalese working in Afghanistan to return home

Xinhua, June 21, 2016 Adjust font size:

Nepal will make arrangement for return of Nepalese working in Afghanistan if they wish to come back home after 14 Nepalese were reportedly killed in a suicide bomb attack there, a Nepalese cabinet minister said on Monday.

The Nepal government has confirmed the identities of 12 Nepalese killed during attack whose responsibility has been taken by Taliban insurgents.

Minister for Labour and Employment Deepak Bohora told Xinhua that the Nepalese government would make necessary arrangement if the Nepalese working in war-torn nation felt insecure and wanted to return back home.

The Nepal government does not have exact number of its citizens working in Afghanistan. Over the last 10 years, about 8,800 Nepalese have gone to Afghanistan after taking permit from the government authorities, according to Ministry of Labour and Employment.

But, Bohora believes more Nepalese have been working in Afghanistan as many enter the war torn country illegally through Gulf countries and most of the Nepalese there work there as security guards.

The Minister said that as many as 3300 Nepalese nationals went to Afghanistan for employment after the Himalayan country partially opened the Afghanistan for foreign employment for Nepalese four years ago.

Earlier, Nepal had imposed blanket ban for Nepalese to work in Afghanistan along with Iraq after 12 Nepalese killed in Iraq in 2004. Following partial opening, Nepalese can get permit to work only in green zones' in Afghanistan where United Nations and other international organization as well as diplomatic agencies have their work stations.

But, Monday's bomb attack took place inside the green zone which has surprised Nepalese authorities. Afghan Interior Ministry stated in a press release after the attack that a suicide bomber targeted a minibus which was carrying employees working for a foreign company in Banae area in Kabul at 05:40am local time. The attack left 14 Nepalese dead injuring nine others including five Nepalese, according to the Afghan government.

"We are not sure about why Nepalese were targeted inside the green zone," said Minister Bohora, adding the government will now reconsider on whether to continue sending Nepalese in Afghanistan after thorough discussion once the details about the attack are received. Endti