A French foreign ministry spokesperson said on Friday that France has carried out an evacuation mission in Afghanistan, transporting 258 Afghans, 11 French, 60 Dutch nationals, and an undefined number of persons associated to them out of the country.
According to a ministry statement, the operation was organised with Qatar’s assistance.
Afghans in danger, such as journalists and others with ties to France, such as civilian personnel employed by the French army, were among the evacuees.
According to the statement, at least 110 French nationals and 396 Afghans have been evacuated from Afghanistan on ten aircraft organised with Qatar’s assistance since September 10.
A joint humanitarian mission between France and Qatar was carried out on Thursday, with a Qatari military plane transporting medical equipment, food, and winter supplies to international organisations operating in the country, according to a French foreign ministry spokeswoman.
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) rated Afghanistan’s socioeconomic prospects for the next 13 months as “alarming.”
Afghanistan is struggling with a sharp drop in international development aid after the Taliban seized power in August, and the UNDP has projected that poverty may become nearly universal by mid-2022.
