Ireland

More Irish citizens evacuated from Afghanistan

Afghan people who were transported from Afghanistan, disembarking a plane on August 23 2021, at the Torrejon military base as part of the evacuation process in Madrid. Picture by Andrea Comas, AP
Afghan people who were transported from Afghanistan, disembarking a plane on August 23 2021, at the Torrejon military base as part of the evacuation process in Madrid. Picture by Andrea Comas, AP Afghan people who were transported from Afghanistan, disembarking a plane on August 23 2021, at the Torrejon military base as part of the evacuation process in Madrid. Picture by Andrea Comas, AP
By Dominic McGrath, PA

Sixteen Irish citizens and their families have been evacuated from Afghanistan.

Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney confirmed today that another 16 Irish people, alongside their dependents, had been evacuated from Kabul Airport to Doha, the capital of Qatar.

The evacuation took place last night.

On Twitter, Mr Coveney said: “We are assisting them on their onward journey home to Ireland.”

Mr Coveney thanked the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Qatar for the support.

The evacuation is the latest instance of the Irish Government working with Qatar to evacuate citizens.

Earlier this month, 15 citizens and 10 dependents travelled from Kabul to Doha on a specially organised flight with the support of Qatar.

Irish officials have been working to evacuate Irish citizens in Kabul and Afghanistan, since the collapse of the Afghan government and the takeover by the Taliban in August.