Live blog
As of: 08/20/2021 3:08 a.m.
Germany pledges 100 million euros in emergency aid for Afghan refugees. The Bundeswehr flies 180 more people from Afghanistan. CDU Chancellor candidate Laschet for talks with the Taliban. All developments in the live blog.
3:08 am
Blatt: British want to complete evacuation flights in 5 days
The last British evacuation flight is expected to leave Kabul in five days. As the newspaper “The Times” reports, the British government wants to accelerate the timetable for the withdrawal. According to the newspaper, ministers were told earlier this week that the last evacuation flight would take off on Tuesday, August 24, before the planned withdrawal of American forces on August 31.
02:01 am
Bundeswehr flies another 180 people from Kabul
The Bundeswehr has flown more people out of Kabul. Shortly before 11 p.m., another A400M with more than 180 people on board took off from Kabul airport in the direction of the Uzbek capital Tashkent, the Bundeswehr announced on Twitter. In addition, another A400M landed in Kabul at 11:16 p.m. to fly out people to be protected.
02:01 am
Laschet advocates talks with the Taliban to help people
Union Chancellor candidate Armin Laschet advocates diplomatic talks with the Taliban to help vulnerable people in Afghanistan. “The art of good foreign policy consists precisely in finding solutions with those states whose goals and human image our society rightly rejects,” said Laschet of the “Neue Osnabrücker Zeitung”. “Refusing to enter into dialogue with the Taliban would not help people who want to get out of Afghanistan,” said Laschet, who is also the CDU leader. Foreign Minister Heiko Maas (SPD) has sent Afghanistan expert Markus Potzel to Doha in the Gulf emirate of Qatar to talk to negotiators of the militant-Islamist Taliban about the departure of Afghan local forces.
02:01 am
Germany pledges 100 million euros in emergency aid for Afghan refugees
The federal government is providing emergency aid amounting to 100 million euros for refugees from Afghanistan. “The money is to be used to support international aid organizations that support people in neighboring countries,” said the Foreign Office.