French evacuations from Afghanistan will end on Friday evening, announces Jean Castex – archyde

France’s evacuations of French citizens and Afghan families wishing to leave their country after the Taliban came to power in Afghanistan will end on Friday, Prime Minister Jean Castex announced on Thursday, August 26.. “From tomorrow evening, we will not [pourra] no longer carry out the evacuations ”, said Mr. Castex, guest of RTL radio. Until now, Thursday evening had been mentioned by French diplomacy.

The evacuations of Afghan populations will take place until Thursday evening, or even Friday morning, ” a few hours “ before the departure of the military and embassy services to maneuver on the spot, a government source told Agence France-Presse.

The imminent withdrawal of the 6,000 American soldiers responsible for securing the Kabul airport, whose departure is scheduled for Tuesday, forced the other countries still present in Afghanistan to leave in turn. As much as a threat “Very high terrorist attack” around the airport was reported, on the night of Wednesday to Thursday, by the United States, Australia and the United Kingdom. The three countries have recommended their nationals to leave the area and wait for further instructions.

France’s response to a “humanitarian catastrophe”

“We have repatriated the French, the Afghans who contributed in one way or another their contribution to the army and families, artists, journalists, around 2,500” people, Jean Castex commented on RTL. “There will be a second phase that we will manage with the other European countries and the international community, in particular the UNHCR [Haut-Commissariat aux réfugiés des Nations unies] who will be the refugees who will leave Afghanistan in the future ”, he clarified.

Responding to a question on the security risk of welcoming refugees from Afghanistan, the Prime Minister recalled that France’s action in Kabul firstly responded to a “Humanitarian catastrophe”. “We monitor all people, we ensure their integration and their behavior”, continued Jean Castex, referring in particular to the conviction by justice, Wednesday, of an Afghan man left the administrative control zone notified to him by the Ministry of the Interior.