Macron “follows hour by hour the very worrying deterioration of the situation”, assures the Elysee



A palpable panic. France is currently “doing everything possible to ensure the safety of the French” still in Afghanistan, its “absolute priority”, and Emmanuel Macron “is monitoring hour by hour the very worrying deterioration of the situation”, indicated the
‘Elysium, while the Taliban are at the gates of Kabul.

Operations to repatriate French and Afghan personnel

“The immediate and absolute priority in the coming hours is the security of the French, who have been called upon to leave Afghanistan, as well as the personnel there, French and Afghan,” the Elysee told AFP. “These operations, which concern several hundred people, have been carried out in recent weeks and are continuing,” said the Elysee.

“France is one of the few countries to have maintained on the ground the capacities to protect the Afghans who worked for the French army, as well as journalists, human rights activists, artists and Afghan personalities particularly threatened, ”adds the Presidency. “The French present in Afghanistan were invited from April 2021 to leave the country and had the opportunity to take a flight organized on July 16 by the French authorities to facilitate this departure”, specified the Quai d ‘Orsay Friday.

Friday, Paris had also promised “an exceptional effort” to welcome in France Afghan personalities threatened for their commitment to human rights or freedom of expression – artists, journalists and human rights defenders. Paris specifies having organized since May the reception of 625 Afghans employed in the French structures present in Afghanistan and their families.

France, which has had recourse in recent years to locally recruited civilians to help its staff on site, in particular interpreters, has already organized the reception of 550 people with their families between 2013 and 2015 and 800 in 2018 and 2019 , specifies the Elysee. And like other European countries, France has since July suspended the expulsions of Afghan migrants who have refused their asylum applications.

The Taliban launched a vast offensive against Afghan forces in early May, following operations to withdraw international forces from Afghanistan. They are now at the gates of Kabul, after having captured most of the northern half of the country in a few days. Their fighters have been ordered not to enter the capital, while the government is preparing for a peaceful transition.



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