The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is investigating whether it can send employees to Kabul airport to help with new evacuations. That depends, among other things, on the security situation at the airport, said outgoing minister Kaag in Ankara to the NOS.
There is still an unknown number of Dutch people in Afghanistan who want to leave the country after the takeover by the Taliban. Until recently, Western soldiers were there to accompany the evacuations, but start of this week that came to an end. However, Turkey and Qatar have offered to manage and secure the airport in Kabul.
Kaag called it “the highest priority” in the Turkish capital today to enable new evacuations. In addition to the Dutch, it concerns Afghans “whom we want to bring to the Netherlands”, such as people who have worked as interpreters for the Dutch army.
It is not yet certain whether people will actually be sent to Kabul to help. “That depends on how far Turkey and Qatar get in their agreements with the Taliban,” Kaag said. But security at the airport, where a bloody attack was committed last week, also plays a role, she says.
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