Nearly 260 threatened Afghans evacuated from Kabul by France

New evacuations. A total of 258 Afghans “threatened because of their commitments” were evacuated from Kabul to Doha, Qatar, and will soon be repatriated to France, French diplomacy said Friday (December 3rd). The aircraft chartered by Paris “made it possible to evacuate 258 Afghans particularly threatened because of their engagements, in particular journalists, or their link with France, including former civilian personnel of local recruitment of our armies (PCRL)”, said a statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Eleven French and sixty Dutch and their dependents were also evacuated by the same flight. According to Paris, “since September 10, 110 French people and their dependents as well as 396 Afghans to be placed in protection have been evacuated on 10 separate flights organized by Qatar”, adds the press release, thanking “strongly” the emirate for its “decisive help in planning and carrying out these complex operations”. Since the fall of Kabul in August to the Taliban and the departure of the Americans, many countries have evacuated their nationals, as well as Afghans threatened in particular for having served foreign interests in recent years.

The fate of the employees of the French army during its operations in the country has also been the subject for years of many controversies, their supporters accusing France of having failed in its duty to protect by reluctant to grant them visas. . From 2001 to 2014, 770 local recruiting civilian personnel (PCRLs) collaborated with the French army as interpreters, drivers or domestic workers in Afghanistan.

In addition, in a joint statement with the Doha authorities, Paris announced that it had sent some “40 tons of medical equipment, food and winter supplies for international organizations in Afghanistan”. The French aid, consisting mainly of medical equipment intended for the Medical Institute for Mother and Child in Kabul, was transported to Afghanistan via a military flight provided by Qatar.