In Kabul, which fell into the hands of the Taliban, the evacuation of diplomats, foreigners and Afghan personnel who had worked for them was being organized on Monday, under very difficult conditions.

Afghan citizens and foreigners wanting to flee Afghanistan "must be allowed to do so," pleaded the United States and 65 other countries in a joint statement, warning the Taliban that they must show "responsibility" in the matter. .

Afghans evacuated by Germany

The European Union, which is to meet on Tuesday on this subject, had previously stressed that the arrival of the Taliban in Kabul had "made protection even more urgent" against possible reprisals against its Afghan personnel, which it try to get to safety. The US military "secured" the Kabul airport on Monday, where its embassy staff were gathered while waiting to be evacuated, the State Department said. But commercial flights were canceled and US troops fired into the air to control the crowds of Afghans who swarmed the tarmac hoping to catch a flight amidst utter chaos.

The Americans sent 6,000 military personnel to evacuate some 30,000 American diplomats and Afghan civilians who cooperated with the United States.

Many other countries, including Germany, France, the Netherlands, Spain, also transferred members of their diplomatic staff to the airport before an evacuation.

Germany wants to deploy soldiers in Afghanistan to evacuate their last nationals as well as threatened Afghans in the country, according to parliamentary sources on Monday.

According to the Berlin project, an airlift must be set up to allow the evacuation of 2,000 Afghans who worked for the Germans, "particularly threatened women, human rights defenders and other NGO employees. ", According to the same sources.

Several dozen French people to be evacuated

Some of the staff at the German Embassy in Kabul were to be evacuated to Doha with American planes. A team of around 80 people are expected to stay in the Afghan capital to organize the evacuation of the other Germans. Madrid announced Monday the dispatch of two military planes to Dubai for "the first phase" of evacuating its diplomatic staff, Afghan staff and their families. Swedish Foreign Minister Ann Linde said all Swedish personnel deployed in the country (19 people in total) were evacuated last night to a US military base in Doha. Finland is due to evacuate its diplomatic staff on Monday.

In Prague, a military plane carrying 46 Czechs and Afghans, including women and children, landed on Monday morning.

Paris for its part deployed military reinforcements to the United Arab Emirates to facilitate the evacuation of French nationals from Kabul.

The first evacuation rotation organized by the French army between its base in the Emirates and the Afghan capital is planned by "the end of this Monday", declared the Minister of the Armies Florence Parly, specifying that there was " several dozen ”of French people to be evacuated, as well as“ people who are under our protection ”.

Among the French to be evacuated include diplomatic staff, said the minister.

"Very difficult conditions"

France has also reiterated its desire to "continue to protect personalities of Afghan civil society, human rights defenders, artists and journalists who are particularly threatened for their commitment". The UK has deployed 600 troops to ensure the evacuation of its nationals and local staff. A first flight arrived overnight at the Brize Norton base in central England. "We evacuated 370 British employees and citizens yesterday and the day before yesterday," Defense Minister Ben Wallace said, adding that a group of 782 Afghans will be evacuated from the country "in the next 24 to 36 hours". "Our goal is to reach 1,200 to 1,500" evacuees per day, he said.

Ireland is also in contact with 23 of its nationals, 15 of which "are thinking of leaving", according to Foreign Minister Simon Coveney.

Visas have been issued for 45 Afghans who worked for them, more to follow, he said.

Canada announced the temporary closure of its embassy on Sunday evening, adding that Canadian staff were already on their way home.

The evacuation of Danish and Norwegian nationals was also underway.

"I can inform you that on Sunday evening, under very difficult conditions, the Danish Defense succeeded in evacuating a group of Danes and Norwegians from Afghanistan," said Danish Armed Forces Minister Trine Bramsen.

According to Ms Bramsen, a "large group" has yet to be evacuated.

"The Russians stay"

Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said on Monday that his government had issued 45 humanitarian visas for Afghans who worked for Poland or a European delegation in Kabul, and their families. Three Swiss expatriates were evacuated from Kabul and efforts are underway to remove some 40 of their Afghan colleagues and their families from the country, the Swiss foreign minister said on Monday.

The American flag was withdrawn Monday from the United States embassy in Kabul, whose "almost all" staff are at the airport awaiting evacuation, the State Department said.

The American charge d'affaires in Afghanistan Ross Wilson is also there, it was specified.

For its part, Russia did not plan to evacuate its embassy.

"No evacuation is planned," said Zamir Kabulov, Kremlin envoy for Afghanistan, quoted by the Interfax news agency on Sunday.

Russia is among the countries that have received guarantees from the Taliban regarding the security of their embassies, explained Zamir Kabulov.

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