:quality(80)/cdn-kiosk-api.telegraaf.nl/6af2db34-1170-11ec-b14a-0255c322e81b.jpg?fit=%2C&ssl=1 "US praises ‘business’ Taliban after evacuation plane arrives in Qatar Abroad")
The thirteen are part of the Dutch who could and wanted to go, the rest had not been able to join the others in time, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported. 25 Dutch people in Afghanistan have indicated that they do not want to leave at the moment, according to the ministry. They are waiting for other options to leave. The ministry remains in contact with them.
On board were 113 people, mostly Afghans with dual nationality, such as American, Ukrainian, Canadian or German. Thirteen Britons also flew with it. It is the first flight that has allowed a large group of civilians to depart since the end of last month’s chaotic evacuation. Then Western countries withdrew more than 120,000 people from the Afghan capital, which has fallen into the hands of the extremist Taliban.
“They have shown flexibility and they have been businesslike and professional in our negotiations with them. This is a positive first step,” said a US National Security Council spokesman on the Taliban. He emphasizes that work is continuing on a safe evacuation of more Americans from Afghanistan.
The flight was accompanied by time constraints, security risks, uncertainties and passage through Taliban checkpoints. “I am very happy that we were able to bring these Dutchmen to safety,” said Foreign Affairs Minister Sigrid Kaag in a statement. “We are very grateful to the Qatari authorities for making this exercise possible. At the same time, there are still many people in Afghanistan who want to leave. The Netherlands will continue to make efforts to help them too.”
The Netherlands could only allow people with a Dutch passport to fly on the first commercial flight from Kabul since the Taliban took power last month. “Unfortunately, at the moment it was not possible to help people with a Dutch residence permit or Afghans who are on a Dutch list to leave Afghanistan through this route. The Netherlands, together with international partners, is working hard to also assist these people and bring them to safety,” the department reported.
The Qatar Airways plane had arrived in Kabul earlier Thursday with relief supplies. Qatar has good ties with the Taliban and played a prominent role in the reopening of the airport. The Qatari Afghanistan envoy said another flight is scheduled for Friday. “Hopefully life will return to normal in Afghanistan,” said Mutlaq bin Majed al-Qahtani.
The arrival in Doha.
Qatar
Taliban members and officials from Qatar had arrived at the airport on Thursday, The Washington Post reported. Repairs were carried out there with the help of Qatar and the airport is now almost fully functional again.
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The airport will be ready for departure on Thursday.
Ⓒ AFP
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Qatar’s envoy, Mutlaq al-Qahtani, said there was no question of an evacuation. He sees the flight as a resumption of normal travel. “We want people to see this as normal.”
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