Canada to resume evacuation flights from Afghanistan soon: Defence minister

It expects to take in as many as 20,000 refugees. The issue that Canada is facing is not just access to Kabul airport but also those seeking to escape being prevented from doing so by the Taliban.

Canada has announced that evacuation flights from Afghanistan will resume “shortly”. The country expects to take in as many as 20,000 refugees fleeing the Taliban regime in Kabul.

US Army soldiers assigned to the 82nd Airborne Division patrol Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul, Afghanistan. (REUTERS)

While all Canadian diplomats were evacuated before the Afghan capital fell to the Taliban, rescue operations stalled due to uncertainty over access to the Kabul airport. However, that is now expected to begin as Canada’s defence minister Harjit Sajjan tweeted on Wednesday evening that Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) flights to and from Hamid Karzai International Airport will “resume shortly” under Op AEGIS.

That operation is being carried out by the CAF and two CC-177 Globemasters “have been assigned for evacuation efforts and will be flying regularly into Kabul”.

“These flights will continue as long as the security situation on the ground permits, and will focus on evacuating Canadians and Afghan nationals who have an enduring relationship with Canada’s mission in Afghanistan,” Sajjan added.

The issue that Canada is facing is not just access to the airport but also those seeking to escape being prevented from doing so by the Taliban. This issue was addressed by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as he told reporters that the “limiting factor” was “not paperwork” or “connections with the Canadian government” but “people being unable to get to the airport”.

Sajjan said that it was his “absolute priority” to bring Afghan nationals who supported Canada’s mission in the country “to safety” and that the government was “in constant contact with our allies on this urgent matter”.