KABUL (Reuters): More than 2,200 diplomats and other civilians have been evacuated from Afghanistan on military flights.
The Taliban have said they want peace, will not take revenge against old enemies, and would respect the rights of women within the framework of Islamic law. But thousands of Afghans, many of whom helped US-led foreign forces over two decades, are desperate to leave.
“We are continuing at a very fast momentum, logistics show no glitches as of now,” the Western security official said. It was unclear when civilian flights would resume, he said.
The official said those getting out included diplomatic staff, foreign security staff, and Afghans who worked for embassies. He did not give a breakdown of how many Afghans were among the more than 2,200 people to leave, nor was it clear if that tally included more than 600 Afghan men, women, and children who flew out on Sunday, crammed into a US military C-17 cargo aircraft.
The Taliban, fighting since their 2001 ouster to expel foreign forces, seized Kabul on Sunday after a lightning offensive as the US.-led Western forces withdrew under a deal that included a Taliban promise not to attack them as they leave.
US forces running the airport had to stop flights on Monday after thousands of frightened Afghans swamped the airfield looking for a flight out. Flights resumed on Tuesday as the situation came under control.
Britain said it had managed to bring out about 1,000 people a day while Germany flew 130 people out. France said it had moved out 25 of its nationals and 184 Afghans and Australia said 26 people have arrived on its first flight back from Kabul.
As the Taliban consolidated power, one of their leaders and co-founders, Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, returned to Afghanistan for the first time in more than 10 years. A Taliban official said leaders would show themselves to the world, unlike in the past when they lived in secret.
