DOHA (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 13th September, 2021) Dozens of French citizens remain in Afghanistan two weeks after the end of the evacuation mission, French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said on Monday.
About 200 of the country's nationals were taken out from the Kabul airport during the airlift operation in the second half of August. A Qatar Airways flight via Doha has taken 47 French passengers from Kabul earlier in the day.
"We appreciate Qatar's efforts in the evacuation of French citizens from Afghanistan. No more than a few dozen French citizens remain in Afghanistan after about 200 (French) people have already left this country," Le Drian told a press conference in Doha, where he arrived on Sunday on a working visit.
The Taliban (a terrorist group, banned in Russia) seized the Afghan capital in mid-August after a countrywide offensive, leading to the collapse of the previous government. The following unrest saw numerous foreigners and Afghan citizens, particularly those who used to work for the international forces, trying to leave the country in fear of the Islamic movement via the capital airport.
On Thursday, the Qatari authorities announced the completion of restoration works at the airport, which is now open for international and domestic flights. Qatar's national airline has already started sending one flight daily to Kabul that returns to Doha with passengers.
