Brussels: The European Union still has a skeleton staff in Kabul who works to evacuate people as the end of airlifts from a chaotic airport.
A number of European countries said they ended their evacuation efforts ahead of the August 31 deadline for US withdrawal from Afghanistan.
European foreign affairs spokesman Peter Stano said Thursday that the small EU team “will be on the ground as long as necessary to complete the evacuation operation.” He refused to give further details, say he did not want to share further details “because they operate in a non-friendship environment.” Stano said that more than 400 Afghans who worked for the EU in Afghanistan, along with their families, had been evacuated.
He added that “there are still some people we need and want to come out” but will not give more details, quoting “operational reasons.” Commission spokesman Eric Mamer said that 400 Afghan and their families’ EU workers were in the process of being transferred to member countries offering the place.
” He called the discussion about their relocation “very intense process” but added that the 27-state block member “was very clear that they were willing to help” accommodate the Afghan staff of the EU.