By Sudouest.fr with AFP
Most of the diplomatic representations of Western countries in Kabul have been moved to the airport or even closed temporarily. Staff and allies are being evacuated
The last exit point of the country, Kabul airport is also the last refuge for several Western embassies and their staff. As the Taliban entered parts of the capital on Sunday, Atlantic Alliance Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said on Sunday that NATO was helping to secure the site to allow the evacuation of Western nationals.
“I spoke with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and the foreign ministers of our Canadian, Danish and Dutch allies about the situation in Afghanistan. NATO is helping to keep Kabul airport open to facilitate and coordinate evacuations, ”Stoltenberg wrote on Twitter.
UK, Russia and China remain
The progression of the Taliban led London to announce Thursday evening the sending of about 600 soldiers to evacuate the British nationals of the country. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson called a new government crisis meeting on Sunday and will convene Parliament on Wednesday to address growing concern among MPs.
While the Sunday Times affirmed that the United Kingdom was preparing the evacuation of its ambassador Laurie Bristow and did not intend to maintain a diplomatic presence, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs clarified that the senior diplomat “remains in Kabul” as it is. British personnel “continue to work to assist” the British and Afghan personnel.
Like China, Russia is among the countries that have received guarantees from the Taliban regarding the security of their embassies.
Displaced or closed embassies
Several Western countries will reduce their presence to the strict minimum, or even temporarily close their embassies.
France is currently deploying military reinforcements to the United Arab Emirates to facilitate the evacuation of its nationals, after moving its embassy to Kabul airport.
“We understand that negotiations are underway about a transition system and we will react according to” their result, added the spokesman for the head of European diplomacy Josep Borrell, according to whom “we must avoid even more of carnage and victims ”.
Italy decided to evacuate urgently, Sunday, its diplomats and nationals, as well as its Afghan collaborators. Germany on Sunday moved its diplomatic staff to the military part of Kabul airport, before an evacuation scheduled for Monday. The Danish and Dutch embassies were also evacuated and are now operating near the airport.
Canadian authorities have announced that they have temporarily closed their embassy in Kabul and evacuated staff. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau recalled that the country would welcome 20,000 refugees in a special program.
Albania and Kosovo stand ready to welcome a number of Afghan political immigrants whose final destination would be the United States.
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