The Dutch embassy in Kabul is calling on Dutch people in Afghanistan to leave that country as soon as possible. The embassy warns that the security situation across the country is deteriorating due to armed conflict and attacks.
“Use the still available, but limited international flights to leave Afghanistan now,” says the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which thinks a small group of Dutch people are currently in Afghanistan.
According to BuZa, there is a risk that flights to and from Kabul will be canceled unannounced because airlines consider it too dangerous. People should also take into account that flights get fully booked quickly.
The travel advice for Afghanistan has been on the red for a long time. “We always give people consideration to leave,” said a spokesperson. “But now we’ve made that more explicit, because the situation is getting more dangerous.”
Support not possible
The embassy in Kabul warns that it is currently unable to support or evacuate Dutch people due to the deteriorating security situation. Embassy staff will remain in the country.
Moreover, Afghanistan is a high-risk area for corona. People need a corona certificate (vaccination certificate, recovery certificate or negative test certificate) to travel to the Netherlands. Also, people traveling back must take into account the requirements of airlines and transfer countries.
There are no direct flights from Kabul to the Netherlands, but there are flights to Istanbul and Dubai, among others.
In Afghanistan, the Taliban are making rapid advances after the retreat of Western troops. Several towns in the west and south of the country have been captured by the Taliban, and other towns have been fiercely fought over. Kabul airport is still guarded by NATO troops.
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