Ireland sends troops to Afghanistan to evacuate nationals and refugees
Dublin announced the dispatch of troops to Afghanistan to facilitate the evacuation operations.
Here, people try to reach the compound of Kabul airport on August 22, 2021. © Isaiah Campbell, AFP
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3 min
The race against time continues in Afghanistan to evacuate populations at risk, and Ireland announced the dispatch on Monday August 23 of a contingent of Rangers to support operations at Kabul airport.
A rare event for the Irish army, which lacks resources and had to join a French convoy.
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With our correspondent in Dublin,
Emeline Vin
A small team of Rangers left Ireland on Monday evening August 23 to
facilitate the evacuation
of the thirty Irish nationals still present in Afghanistan, as well as the
230 refugees that Dublin has agreed to welcome
.
The Defense Ministry remains very evasive on the details of the operation for security reasons: it seems that a dozen soldiers are sent to allow people awaiting evacuation to access
Kabul airport, plunged into chaos
.
The deployment is unusual: traditionally, Irish forces leave for the field under the auspices of the United Nations, the European Union or NATO, rarely alone.
And it has been more than a week that some elected officials and former Special Forces have called for the intervention of the army.
It was necessary to organize the trip, however, because the Irish defense is not independent: it does not even have the air capabilities to conduct this type of operations alone.
The Rangers must then be added to a convoy of the French army and should be deployed from Thursday, August 26 and
until the withdrawal of American forces
.
►Also read
: Evacuations from Afghanistan: what means of pressure do the West have on the Taliban?
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Ireland
Afghanistan
Defense