KRISHNA-LD AFGHAN 2LST

Ahead of his visit, the External Affairs Minister said
that Indian missions in Afghanistan were under constant threat
but the Afghan government has "fully assured" New Delhi of
their security.
Noting that several lives have been lost due to
attacks on Indian missions, Krishna said the government was
working with the Afghan government to ensure that enough
protection was provided to embassy and consulates to avoid any
more casualties.
"We have been fully assured by President Hamid Karzai
and his government of that (security)," he said on Friday.
Apart from staff in missions, some 4,000 Indians are
building roads, sanitation projects and power lines in this
country. India is also building the new Afghan Parliament.
In February last year, seven Indians were killed in a
Taliban suicide attack on foreigners in Kabul, which claimed
16 lives and left 20 people critically injured.
Besides its embassy in Kabul, India has consulates in
Jalalabad, Kandahar, Mazar-e-Sharif and Herat. PTI