Chaos reigns after Ghani’s departure

The only safe way to get out of Afghanistan is by air. And in the next few hours, that probably won’t happen. The United States and several Western countries have moved all personnel from their embassies in the Afghan capital to Kabul airport. The Taliban entered the capital, forcing the Afghan president to flee. Ashraf GhaniAs well as evacuation plans that were already underway for international delegations.

Speaking to ABC News, the US Secretary of State, Anthony Blinken, He said work was being done “to ensure the safety and security of our staff. We are transporting men and women from our embassy to a location at the airport.” In the past hours, the Pentagon has authorized the sending of 1000 more soldiers To ensure the safe departure of your diplomatic staff.

The full departure of US personnel was due to complete on Tuesday, but changes in the situation force urgent action. Recent photos arriving from Kabul airport confirm the widespread chaos.

For its part, the British Ministry of Defense confirmed the arrival of British forces to Kabul to assist in the evacuation of the British who remained there. Prime Minister Boris Johnson, after presiding over a Cabinet Emergency Committee meeting on Sunday, stressed that the priority is to keep British nationals away, as well as Afghans who have helped British forces in Afghanistan for the past 20 years. “as soon as possible”.

“The ambassador is working around the clock, he was there at the airport to help process the requests,” he told Sky News. “We certainly have the means at the moment to get them out… It’s just a matter of making sure they can do that in the next few days.” The “vast majority” of embassy staff and officials have already left AfghanistanJohnson added.

desperate escape

The latest news from Kabul airport describes complete chaos. An eyewitness told the BBC: “The departure hall turned into chaos after people said that boarding passes were being secretly printed to the officials and VIPs who showed up. At the airport.”

“we Three former deputies, some deputy ministers, and some celebrities Queue. Some didn’t even have a reservation. We waited about eight hours, until the airport staff started to leave their desks, first the check-in counters and then the immigration and passport counters… Various rumors led to chaos. Some fled the airport and others ran towards the gates.”

“No one was at any of the passport control kiosks and the QR scan doors were destroyed. There was no security check before reaching the gates. We passed and saw the large glass doors between the doors and the planes smashed. People ran towards the last plane (apparently the first plane, which was ours). , was full of officials and took off) and there was a second flight where people started going up. It was almost a stampede“.

People were very desperate, some were running towards the airport, some were fleeing. To prevent people from entering the airport, the guards opened fire in the air. When I was going out, there was a guy shooting in the air. A few minutes from the airport, I saw several police cars left alone on the road with the doors open. I can still hear scattered gunshots and helicopters.”

500 people

Spain has announced that it will evacuate all its embassy staff from Afghanistan – dozens of workers – and hundreds of Afghans who cooperated during Spanish military missions and cooperation projects, diplomatic sources told Efe today. sum, Defense plans to remove 500 people, including diplomatic staff, translators and family members who are currently in Kabul

The sources indicated that the Spanish Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Defense closed the logistics, the number of people who will be repatriated, and the aircraft that will be used in this mission, noting that as soon as conditions allow, the evacuation will begin, which will begin. It also includes Afghans, diplomatic staff, embassy officials and security personnel, as well as the six Spaniards registered as residents of Afghanistan.

The French government took the same measure with the French embassy in Kabul, which was transferred to the airport to “initiate the evacuation of the French who are still” in Afghanistan. He declared that “due to the massive and rapid security deterioration in Afghanistan, the French authorities have decided to move their embassy inside Kabul airport, so they are still active to move forward with the evacuation of all the French who are still” in the country, in a statement to the French Foreign Minister, Jean-Yves Le Drian.

In turn, Germany has transferred its embassy staff and local staff to Kabul Airport, waiting for safe evacuation In military aircraft, Sweden and other Nordic countries hope to end that process today.

Also Canadian Prime Minister, Justin TrudeauOn Sunday, it was announced that, given the seriousness of the situation in Afghanistan, Canadian diplomats have left the country and are returning to Canada. Trudeau noted that he was informed on Sunday morning of the situation in Kabul, and in the rest of Afghanistan, and that in the face of “serious problems” caused by the collapse of President Ashraf Ghani’s government, Canadian diplomats. Now on their way to Canada.

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