Categories: World News

Germany Moves Diplomatic Staff In Afghanistan To Kabul Airport

This picture taken on August 14, 2021 shows aircrafts standing on the tarmac of the airport in Kabul. (Photo by Wakil KOHSAR / AFP)

 

Germany on Sunday moved its diplomatic personnel in Kabul from the embassy to the airport ahead of an evacuation planned from Monday, as the Taliban reached the outskirts of the Afghan capital.

“I have decided this morning to move the personnel from the Kabul embassy into the military section of the airport,” Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said on Twitter.

Sources close to the defence ministry said an evacuation was planned from Monday.

Germany announced Friday it was slashing staff levels at its Kabul embassy to an “absolute minimum” as the security situation deteriorates around the city.

“We are not going to risk our people falling into the hands of the Taliban,” Maas told the Bild daily on Sunday.

The minister called a meeting of “crisis cell” to organise the evacuation of “German employees and other persons in danger”.

The German army will assist with the evacuations, Defence Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer said Saturday.

“The security situation in Afghanistan continues to escalate,” she said, adding that the military would help the foreign ministry in repatriating German citizens and evacuating local staff “who are in need of protection to Germany”.

READ ALSO: Afghan President Flees Country As Taliban Captures Kabul

The ministry estimates its remaining staff count at the embassy in the “high double digits”.

The Taliban were on the brink of total victory in Afghanistan on Sunday, with their fighters ordered to wait on the outskirts of the capital and the government conceding it was preparing for a “transfer of power”.

Other NATO members including Britain, Denmark and Spain, have also announced they are evacuating their embassy personnel.

AFP

Anthonia Orji

Disqus Comments Loading...
Share
Published by
Anthonia Orji

Recent Posts

Do Not Denigrate Nigeria In Your Sermons, Tinubu Appeals To Religious Leaders

He urged the leaders to be more constructive in their criticism of those in elective…

3 hours ago

Soldiers’ Death: Wanted Delta Monarch Turns Self In

Before he turned himself in to the police, the monarch spoke to journalists, insisting on…

4 hours ago

45 Killed As Bus Plunges Off South Africa Bridge

The vehicle had been heading from neighbouring Botswana to Moria in the north of the…

5 hours ago

CBN Pegs Minimum Capital Base For Banks At ₦500bn 

The apex bank said the new minimum capital base for commercial banks with national authorisation…

6 hours ago

Soldiers’ Killing Oil-Related, DSS Should Lead Probe — Urhobo Leader

The Urhobo leader called for an independent probe into the circumstances that led to the…

6 hours ago

Tyrants Won’t Become Leaders In Parliamentary Democracy — Utomi 

The thought leader noted that thriving democracies in the world practice parliamentary democracy.

7 hours ago