NAIROBI, Kenya, Aug 19 – Over fifty Kenyans have been evacuated from Afghanistan’s capital Kabul amid sustained military efforts by the United States and the United Kingdom to rescue trapped allies and third-country civilians.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Thursday said those rescued included 12 private contractors who were moved to Birmingham in the United Kingdom. Another 40 were moved to Kazakhstan, according to the Kenyan mission in Beijing.
“The Kenyan Embassy in Beijing has reached out to more Kenyans and established that 12 Kenyans who have been working for private contractors were evacuated to Birmingham in the UK on Wednesday 18th August 2021. Another group of forty Kenyans (40) was evacuated to Kazakhstan late last night,” the ministry said in an emailed statement.
“Kenyan missions in the region continue to reach out to Kenyans employed in the security sector and others engaged by private companies who are yet to be evacuated by their employees,” the ministry added.
The Foreign Office however said three more Kenyans were still holed up in Kabul and efforts were being made to evacuate them.
“The situation at Kabul airport continues to be a challenge for those who wish to be evacuated but the Kenyan Missions will continue to reach out to the private companies to ensure the safety and welfare of the Kenyan nationals,” the statement read.
The ministry had in a statement issued earlier in the day indicated that the Kenyan Embassy in Islamabad, Pakistan, was coordinating rescue efforts with the support of allies.
It reported that twelve Kenyans working with various international organizations were stranded awaiting a safe passage out of Kabul.
The agencies included the Swedish Committee (2), the World Bank’s Supreme Audit Office (2), International Rescue Committee (1), International Development Law Organization (1), Danish Committee for Aid to Afghanistan Refugees (1), MEDAIR (1), Action Contre ka Faim (2), Handikap International (1) and Intersos (1).
The Ministry said it was in contact with two other Kenyan missions in Beijing and Tehran to reach out to the host governments, foreign diplomatic missions and other partners for assistance in evacuating any stranded Kenyan to safety.
Three others, one working for the International Development Law Organization and two working for Action Center la Faim, were evacuated on Wednesday.
Several countries including the United States and the United Kingdom have been carrying out evacuations of their citizens after Taliban militants took over the capital city Kabul on Sunday, August 15, 2021, signaling the collapse of the country’s civilian government.
