After the withdrawal of international troops from Afghanistan, the Islamist Taliban took power in the country – and are redesigning it according to their ideas. The most important developments in the news blog.
For their dangerous evacuation mission in Afghanistan, the German armed forces increased their forces and relocated two helicopters to Kabul Airport. According to the Ministry of Defense, the Airbus helicopters can H145M be used to rescue individual German citizens or local workers from dangerous situations.
So far, the Bundeswehr has flown more than 1,800 people from Kabul. Development Minister Gerd Müller (CSU) calls for an expansion of the rescue operation. According to previous regulations, Afghan local workers, their spouses and underage children are allowed to be added to the exit lists. “In individual cases it is inhumane to separate families. And that is why that must be changed,” said Müller to the newspapers of the Funke media group. He was glad that Federal Interior Minister Horst Seehofer (CSU) had signaled that he would not adhere to the existing rule. (08/21/2021)
Thousands of people besieged entrances to Kabul airport
In the Afghan capital Kabul, thousands of people are still besieging the entrances to the airport. This was reported by an eyewitness to the German press agency. The frightened people are all hoping for a place on an airplane to flee the crisis state after the Islamist Taliban fighters come to power. The eyewitness had already spent the entire Friday at an entrance. When he returned there on Saturday morning (local time), the crowd doubled again.
Gunshots continued to be fired practically all the time. At the northern entrance there were also loudspeaker announcements that the gate was now closed for two days, the person said. A second eyewitness reported that there were people from all walks of life there. He said he saw actors in the crowd, TV presenters, teenagers, women with newborn babies or people in wheelchairs.
A letter from the German embassy in Kabul said on Saturday night that the situation at the airport was still extremely confusing. There are more and more armed clashes at the gates to the airport. The US military decides on the opening and closing of the entrances, depending on the location. The letter also said that the way to the airport was at your own risk. A transport from the individual place of residence in the city area to the airport could not be provided by the German embassy.
The US embassy in Kabul calls on American citizens to avoid the airport. Due to possible security threats around the entrances, US citizens are advised not to drive to the airport and avoid the gates, according to a message from the embassy on Saturday. The exception is if the citizen has received an individual instruction from a representative of the US government. Just two days ago the embassy announced in a broadcast that US citizens should come to the airport if they themselves thought it was safe. You should try to enter the airport at every open gate. (08/21/2021)
Laschet wants to link financial aid to Afghanistan with human rights guarantees
Union Chancellor candidate Armin Laschet calls for new financial aid for Afghanistan to be linked to Taliban’s guarantees for human rights. “We can make development cooperation dependent on schooling for girls and other minimum standards,” said the CDU politician Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung. The aim is “to influence the Taliban so that the country does not become a hotbed of international terrorism again”. The prospect of financial support could serve as a lever, added Laschet. Germany has suspended development cooperation with the Taliban-ruled country for the time being. (08/21/2021)
Veterans speak of “retraumatizing” former soldiers
The takeover of power by the Taliban is apparently causing psychological difficulties for many former Bundeswehr soldiers from the Afghanistan mission. “The dramatic events in Afghanistan have led to retraumatisation among many veterans,” said the deputy chairman of the Association of German Veterans, David Hallbauer, to the newspapers of the Funke media group. “You currently have an enormous need for discussion or are looking for psychological support from us.” The inquiries and contacts made by former members of the armed forces as well as family members had “increased by leaps and bounds” in the past few days.
Many former soldiers asked the question of meaning, said Hallbauer. “They have the impression that their months of hard work – often in fear of death – were ultimately in vain, and that the successes of 20 years in Afghanistan are now being wiped out by the Taliban in one fell swoop.” Things that have been achieved and fought for are lost. “Many veterans say to themselves: What I did there was of no use. That is a huge problem for many former soldiers.” Family members also reported more, said Hallbauer. They sought advice “how to deal with the trauma of their loved one. It is a very difficult situation for many families at the moment”. (08/21/2021)
Biden: “We will bring you home”
US President Joe Biden has promised all Americans in Afghanistan who are willing to leave the country that they will leave the country. At her address in the White House, Biden said, “We will take you home.” When asked, the US President said the promise also applies to Afghans who had supported the US mission in Afghanistan. The US also tried to get as many vulnerable Afghans as possible who had worked for aid organizations, for example.
Biden announced a continuation of the US rescue flights from Kabul after they were temporarily stopped. The flights were interrupted for a few hours to handle the arrival of people leaving the country. The commander in charge had already instructed to continue the flights again.
The US President said that around 13,000 people have flown out of the US since the mission started about a week ago. According to the White House, there were 5,700 people in the past 24 hours alone.
Biden did not want to comment on whether the mission could be extended beyond August 31. He assumes that the rescues can be completed by then, but will make a decision later. (08/20/2021)
Bundeswehr brings 172 more vulnerable people out of Kabul
The Bundeswehr has brought more German citizens and Afghan local staff from Kabul. On Saturday night, an A400M military aircraft “with 172 vulnerable people on board for Tashkent in Uzbekistan,” tweeted the Bundeswehr. This means that the Bundeswehr aircraft have now flown out more than 1,800 people. Several military transporters of the Bundeswehr commute between Kabul and the Uzbek capital Tashkent, from where the rescued are to begin their onward flight to Germany.
German shot on the way to Kabul airport
A German sustained a gunshot wound on the way to Kabul Airport in Afghanistan. This was confirmed by the deputy government spokeswoman Ulrike Demmer. The man is a civilian, said Demmer. “He is receiving medical care, but there is no danger to his life. And he will soon be flown out.” Further details are currently not known, the circumstances of the incident cannot be given at the moment, according to the Ministry of Defense.
According to information from the German Press Agency from the Foreign Office, another German suffered a slight injury. It was initially unclear whether it was a gunshot wound.
The situation at the airport in Kabul has been chaotic since the Taliban came to power. The situation is extremely dangerous. Hundreds of people continue to try to gain access to the airfield in order to be taken out of the country in one of the Western governments’ rescue machines. According to an eyewitness from the German Press Agency, many of them are at a roundabout where the entrance to the civilian part of the airport is located. Taliban fighters fire into the air there and beat with whips to drive the people away. (08/20/2021)
Von der Leyen calls for safe escape routes for Afghans before the G7 summit
EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen wants to promote a comprehensive international solution for refugees from Afghanistan at the G-7 special summit. “It is important that all states involved in the Afghanistan mission provide sufficient resettlement quotas and secure routes so that we can take in those in need of protection,” she told the German press agency. One must prevent people from falling into the hands of smugglers and human traffickers. “Because that puts Afghans who want to flee the conflict into at least as great a danger,” she said.
In view of the Taliban’s takeover of power in Afghanistan, the heads of state and government of the G-7 countries want to hold a video conference next week to discuss how to proceed. The group of important industrialized countries includes the USA, Germany, France, Great Britain, Italy, Japan and Canada. The top representatives of the EU are also always there.
Because of the developments in Afghanistan, the EU expects a sharp increase in the number of people who want to leave their homeland. Many Afghans fear a return to the reign of terror of the Islamists of the 1990s. “The whole thing is a tragedy for the people in Afghanistan and that is a serious setback for the international community,” said von der Leyen of the developments. (08/20/2021)
Maas: “Afghanistan must not repeat itself”
Foreign Minister Heiko Maas says he is not thinking of resigning because of the Afghanistan debacle. When asked whether he had thought about it, the SPD politician said that mirrors: “In the past few days I have only thought of one thing, namely to draw conclusions from the mistakes we have all made and to ensure that as many people as possible are removed from Afghanistan.” That is “the damned duty of everyone who has been involved in the development of the last few days and weeks”.
In the past few days there have been calls for the Foreign Minister to resign from various quarters. CSU chief Markus Söder spoke out in favor of Maas no longer belonging to the cabinet after the federal election in September. The SPD politician said in the interview published on Friday: “I would first wait and see which party the next federal government actually belongs to. That is more open than many people thought. And what my professional future looks like is really the last thing I think about wasting a thought right now. “
At the same time, Maas called for a debate about the meaning of Bundeswehr missions. “The failure in Afghanistan must not lead us to completely deny ourselves responsibility in the world in terms of foreign and security policy,” he said. “But Afghanistan cannot repeat itself again either.” The NATO partners would have to discuss whether the defense alliance was even suitable for conducting missions outside of its actual mandate – including whether it was NATO’s task to ensure peace and human rights.
Maas also pleaded for the European NATO members to gain greater independence from the United States. “We have to discuss much more politically before we send our soldiers somewhere. Otherwise there is a risk that we will only understand Washington’s decisions – regardless of who is president there.” (08/20/2021)
Merkel made a government statement on Afghanistan on Wednesday
Chancellor Angela Merkel will deliver a government statement at the special session of the Bundestag next Wednesday. This is announced by a government spokeswoman. Among other things, the temporary new Afghanistan mandate is to be decided in the special session. (08/20/2021)