Qatar plane fly foreigners out of Kabul since US pull-out

KABUL (Pajhwok): Dozens of international passengers – including UK citizens – have flown out of Kabul in the first such flight since US forces left the country, according to the BBC on Thursday.

The Qatar Airways charter flight landed in the Qatari capital Doha on Thursday, with a second flight due on Friday.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken urged help with evacuations during a recent visit to Qatar.

Hundreds of Afghan citizens who had helped the US military were unable to get out in last month’s US airlift.

Reuters news agency reports that 113 people were on the plane.

UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said 13 British citizens had arrived in Doha, and thanked Qatar for facilitating the flight.

The White House released a statement confirming that US citizens had flown, and also thanked Qatar, saying the flight was the result of “careful and hard diplomacy and engagement”.

It said the Taliban had been “businesslike and professional” in helping the US citizens fly out.

Canada has also confirmed that 43 of its citizens were on the flight, while the Netherlands said 13 of its nationals were on board.

In a press conference held at the airport, Qatari special envoy Mutlaq bin Majed Al Qahtani described Kabul international airport as operational and said it was a historic day for Afghanistan.

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