As diplomats owing allegiance to the previous government in Afghanistan announced they were shutting down the embassy, the Afghan consul general in Mumbai, along with the acting consul general in Hyderabad, stepped in to ensure continued operation of the embassy and said there will be no disruption of consular services for Afghan nationals. The officials urged Afghan nationals to ignore the “fraudulent” communication saying these diplomats, led by former ambassador Farid Mamundzay, were based abroad and had no locus standi in the internal affairs of the Afghanistan embassy. Earlier in the day, and two months after they ceased operations, Afghan diplomats appointed by the government ousted by the Taliban said the embassy was formally shutting down, citing constant pressure from both the Taliban and the Indian government to relinquish control. The top Afghan diplomats in Mumbai and Hyderabad had in September too said that they would keep the embassy running and that there would be no disruption in consular services.