Nepal lifts ban on sending workers to Afghanistan

The ban was imposed after a Taliban-engineered attack killed 13 Nepalese and two Indian nationals on June 20

Nepal has lifted a four-month ban on sending Nepalese workers to Afghanistan that was imposed on June 23 after the country's security guards were killed in a Taliban attack, a government official said.

The Himalayan nation imposed the ban after a Taliban-engineered attack killed 13 Nepalese and two Indian nationals ,who were working as security guards, on June 20 at the Canadian Embassy in Kabul.

Six Nepalese were injured in the attack.

Govinda Mani Bhurtel, spokesperson at the Ministry of Labour and Employment, told Xinhua news agency on October 16 that the decision was made at last week's cabinet meeting.

According to Bhurtel, the ban was lifted under certain conditions according to which Nepalese workers will be allowed to work only inside the green zone, where the United Nations and other diplomatic agencies are present.

"The employer should arrange shelter for Nepalese workers around the workplace and if they have to travel outside, there should be the provision of security escort and bullet proof vehicles," Bhurtel added.