During the Taliban’s occupation of Afghanistan, 32 Filipino workers were evacuated and 19 more, according to the Department of Foreign Affairs.
According to the DFA, the repatriation of the remaining Filipinos to the Kabul Capitol is also being handled.
“At this point, less than 130 Filipinos in Afghanistan,” said Foreign Affairs Assistant Secretary Ed Meñez.
The Taliban occupied Kabul and regained control of Afghanistan after it seized power in 2001 with the help of American forces.
The U.S. and United Kingdom forces were involved in the attack on Taliban forces in Afghanistan after the bloody September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center in New York and The Pentagon outside Washington DC, carried out by al-Qaeda terrorists.
The terrorists allegedly carried out planning and training from Afghanistan.
When the US decided to withdraw its force from Afghanistan, Taliban fighters quickly attacked major cities until they finally seized the capital.
According to the DFA, they are in contact with “international partners” for the quick and safe evacuation of Filipinos there.
“Last night, 32 Filipinos were evacuated and are now in Doha awaiting their confirmed flights to the Philippines,” said DFA in a statement. “A group of 19 Filipinos is also set to leave immediately.”
Taliban occupies Afghanistan; 32 Filipinos evacuated
The Philippines has raised the situation in Afghanistan to Alert Level 4, which means that the mandatory evacuation of Filipinos there is necessary due to the uncertainty of their security in the said country.
“The Department maintains its call for all Filipinos in Afghanistan to join the repatriation effort,” said DFA.
Meanwhile, the president of the Philippine Association in Afghanistan, Joseph Glenn GumpalFilipinos in Afghanistan, Filipinos there are still safe.
“Sa awa ng Diyos po, ligtas po kami. Ang iniisip lang namin, ligtas kami ngayon, at safe kami dahil hindi pa kami pinupuntahan. Ang kinatatakot namin, pupuntahan kami [ng Taliban]. Yun lang yung kinakatakot namin,” said Gumpal in an interview with TeleRadyo.
He said Filipinos are now in different places in Afghanistan because they work for different companies.
They have not yet received a report of any Filipino being injured.
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