Afghanistan: South Korea and New Zealand announce the evacuation of their citizens from Afghanistan

Madrid, 15 years old (Europe Press)

On Monday, South Korea and New Zealand announced the evacuation of their citizens in Afghanistan before the Taliban reached the capital.

The South Korean Foreign Ministry has decided to temporarily close its embassy in Afghanistan and evacuate most of its diplomatic staff to a third country in the Middle East, according to the official South Korean news agency Yonhap.

Similarly, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced that aircraft of the country’s army will be sent to Afghanistan for New Zealanders and Afghans who have worked with New Zealand forces.

Ardern said 53 New Zealanders and 37 Afghans who worked alongside the country’s security forces are still in Afghanistan, the New Zealand Herald reported.

For his part, South Korean President Moon Jae-in ordered his government to work for a “safe evacuation” of South Korean diplomatic officials and residents in Afghanistan.

The Taliban are on the cusp of regaining power in Afghanistan after 20 years of conflict, after a resounding offensive that prompted them to reoccupy almost all provincial capitals just ten days after the start of the final withdrawal of international forces. Negotiations for the peaceful surrender of Kabul.