MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 15th August, 2021) Countries begin urgent evacuation of their citizens and diplomatic missions in Kabul as the Taliban (terrorist organization, banned in Russia) have entered the capital and are negotiating power transfer with the Afghan government.
On Sunday, the UK Home Office confirmed it was working on transporting British citizens and Afghans who had collaborated with the UK forces out of Afghanistan.
"Home Office officials are right now working to protect British nationals and help former UK staff and other eligible people travel to the UK," the ministry tweeted, adding that so far, some 3,300 Afghan staff and their families have already been resettled as part of the effort.
Additionally, the Home Office announced it had reduced the number of employees working at the country's embassy in Kabul, leaving those who could render consular and visa services to people leaving the country. It also noted that the embassy will be moved from Kabul to a "safer place."
Japan has also decided to evacuate the staff of its embassy in Kabul over the growing security risks, Kyodo news agency reported on Sunday, citing government sources.
Similar decision was made by Spain. The country's Foreign Ministry confirmed to Sputnik earlier in the day that it was urgently preparing, in cooperation with the EU and NATO, to evacuate from Afghanistan its embassy employees and other Spanish citizens remaining in the country, as well as Afghan translators and their family members. However, the timeframe has not been released for security reasons.
Germany will begin evacuating about 100 of its citizens remaining in Afghanistan, including 30 embassy employees, starting Monday, according to the DPA new agency. The first Bundeswehr transport aircraft are expected to arrive in Kabul on Sunday. Berlin also intends to relocate its Afghan aides and their families.
The Czech Defense Ministry said it would evacuate the Czech diplomats, as well as Afghans who worked in the embassy or helped Czech soldiers, in the coming days with the help of the armed forces.
The situation in Afghanistan has sharply deteriorated over the recent weeks as the Taliban stepped up it offensive on major cities. On Sunday, the Taliban took control of all border crossings in Afghanistan.
Later in the day, the militants said they were negotiating with the government about the possibility of entering Kabul peacefully and that the Afghan government would be responsible for the security of the capital until the end of the power transition process. President Ashraf Ghani reportedly intends to step down today.
