Two flights arrived at a Belgian air base outside Brussels on Monday
carrying 226 people, mainly Afghan employees of international missions and
their families, escaping the chaos in Kabul.
اضافة اعلان
The flights came from Islamabad, the hub for Belgium's Operation Red Kite
rescue mission, which is acting as an air link to Kabul.
Four military flights from Kabul were due to ferry more Belgium-bound
escapees to the Pakistani capital later in the day.
The mission's first flight back to Belgian soil brought 193 vulnerable
people at Melsbroek base, home of Belgium's 15th Air Transport Wing, in a
chartered civilian Air Belgium Airbus jet.
Families, many with small children and carrying only hand luggage to begin
their new lives in Europe, were led to four grey buses to be taken to the
Peutie military base under police escort for health checks and immigration
processing.
Many of the arrivals huddled under red blankets as they queued for their
buses under the rain and grey skies. One, a woman in a headscarf, waved to
reporters as she disembarked.
A second flight, this one on a Royal Netherlands Air Force military A330
transport, arrived shortly afterwards with 33 passengers, including at least
one diplomat, according to officers at the air base.
Only one bus was needed for the second flight, which was far from
full.
Foreign Minister Sophie Wilmes said Operation Red Kite has already brought
400 people from Kabul's airport, which was being secured by US and allied
troops, and out to Islamabad for onward travel to Belgium.
"The situation remains volatile. Thank you to everyone for their
tireless efforts," she tweeted.
Belgium is one of several NATO and EU member states that are scrambling to
rescue vulnerable foreign staff and Afghan allies from Afghanistan since the
Taliban overran the capital just over a week ago.
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