Status: 08/15/2021 01:54 a.m.
According to a media report, the first Bundeswehr military transporters are due to land in Kabul at the beginning of the week. They are supposed to fly embassy staff out of the country. This could also be the salvation for the Afghan local staff.
According to a newspaper report on Monday, German air force A400M military transporters will be flying into the Afghan capital to evacuate the German embassy staff in Kabul. These machines, which would offer the highest level of protection, were supposed to bring the Germans safely out of the country, reports the “Bild am Sonntag”. A hub for stopovers of the A400M planes is expected to be set up in the Uzbek capital Tashkent.
From there, the passengers should be brought to Germany by charter planes. Federal Foreign Minister Heiko Maas (SPD) told the newspaper that he was giving top priority to the safe departure of German embassy staff from Afghanistan. “The top priority now is the safety of our embassy staff.” One will not risk “that our people fall into the hands of the Taliban. We are prepared for all scenarios.”
Julie Kurz, ARD Berlin, on the possible departure of former local staff
Topics of the day 11:35 p.m., 8/14/2021
Help required for local staff
Local Afghan workers could also be brought out of the country in this way. Interior Minister Horst Seehofer had announced that the identification and issuing of visas could also take place in Germany if necessary. “We are open to any procedure. No entry of local staff fails at the Federal Ministry of the Interior.”
Several politicians had previously called for help for the Afghan Bundeswehr employees – including CDU Chancellor candidate Armin Laschet: “These people must be helped, they must be taken out now,” said Laschet. Germany can no longer watch as the local workers are threatened by the Taliban.
Reactions to the advance of the Taliban in Germany
Sarah Frühauf, ARD Berlin, daily news 8 p.m., August 14, 2021
Paratroopers should help
Federal Defense Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer (CDU) promised to support the Federal Foreign Office in escaping the embassy staff and local staff. There is talk of using paratroopers from the Rapid Forces Division in the operation – a unit that is ready for precisely such crises and emergency tasks.
A mandate from the Bundestag is required for the evacuation operation of the Bundeswehr. This is currently being prepared. However, it may have to be granted retrospectively, as the Bundestag will not meet for a special session until August 25th and it could then be too late for help.
The radical Islamic Taliban are currently only a few kilometers away from the capital Kabul. In the past few days they have conquered large parts of the country – the Afghan army apparently withdrew from many cities without a fight.