As many as three Indian engineers, who were abducted in 2018 in Afghanistan by the Taliban forces are all set to be released. The development comes days after the US special envoy to Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad met Taliban in Pakistan's capital Islamabad.

Seven Indians, mostly engineers working at a power station were abducted by the Taliban in May 2018. One of them was released earlier this year in March 2019. They were abducted in Bagh-e-Shamal village near the Pul-e-Khomri city which is the capital of northern Baghlan province inAfghanistan in 2018.

US special envoy to Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad on meeting the Taliban in Pakistan, demanded from the American side the release of foreign prisoners in the Taliban custody. A government source in Islamabad said theAmerican side had asked the Taliban to release five foreigners in their custodywhich included 3 Indian engineers, one Australian and one American. The Talibanmet with the US envoy was confirmed on Saturday, the first such encounter sincePresident Donald Trump announced a month ago that a seemingly imminent peacedeal to end Afghanistan’s 18-year war was dead.

The seven abducted Indians were working in Indian companyKEC headquartered in Mumbai. The company owns an electricity sub-stationcontract in the area. Earlier in March 2018, one of the abducted Indian wasbrought back to India

The Ministry of External Affairs in a release said, "Weare grateful to the Government of Afghanistan for their support in securing therelease and repatriation of the Indian national." "We continue towork closely with the Government of Afghanistan for the safe and early returnof the remaining six Indian nationals," MEA added.

More than 60 Indians were working for KEC in differentprojects across Afghanistan. This is not the first case of abduction of Indiansin Afghanistan. In 2016, an Indian aid worker Judith D Souza was kidnapped byand was released after 40 days.