Poland to end evacuation efforts in Afghanistan: deputy FM

The last two planes carrying people airlifted out of Afghanistan will arrive in Poland on Wednesday as the country wraps up its evacuation efforts in Kabul, a deputy foreign minister said.

Evacuation at Hamid Karzai International Airport

Photo: PAP/EPA/Sgt. Samuel Ruiz / US Marine Corps via DVIDS / HANDOUT Released Maj. John Rigsbee U.S. Central Command Public Affairs [e-mail] [phone] via DVIDS HANDOUT

Several dozen people, including two Polish consuls coordinating the evacuation on site, are expected to be on those flights. 

"After an analysis of security reports we decided that we cannot put the lives of our diplomats and troops at risk any longer," Deputy Foreign Minister Marcin Przydacz was quoted as saying on Wednesday.

He told public broadcaster Polish Radio's IAR news agency that "the main objectives of the mission have been accomplished as all Polish citizens have been evacuated" from Afghanistan.

More than 800 people have been airlifted out of that country's capital Kabul by Poland's authorities, including those who worked for the Polish diplomatic mission and military contingent in Afghanistan.

Over 70,000 people have been evacuated from Afghanistan since the Taliban took over Kabul, US President Joe Biden announced on Wednesday.

(tf/gs)

Source: IAR, PAP