Because of the dramatically deteriorated security situation in Afghanistan, the federal government has initiated an evacuation campaign for Germans and former local staff. Apparently up to 10,000 people have to be brought to safety.
The takeover of power by the radical Islamic Taliban in Afghanistan put the federal government into crisis mode: The Federal Ministry of Defense launched an airlift on Monday through which German citizens and particularly vulnerable Afghans are to be flown out of Kabul. Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU) said in an internal party meeting that up to 10,000 people, including relatives, would have to be brought to safety in Germany. At the same time, she warned of a new refugee crisis.
Merkel was shocked by the crisis in Afghanistan at a meeting of the CDU executive committee. “For the many who have built progress and freedom – especially the women – these are bitter events,” participants quoted the Chancellor as saying to the AFP news agency. The German Armed Forces are working closely with the United States on their evacuation mission in Kabul: “Without the help of the Americans, we would not be able to carry out such an operation.”
The federal government is apparently assuming an “operation window until August 31”
Merkel was quoted as saying that the federal government had identified 2,500 local employees months ago. In addition, in 2000 the government identified other locals who were to be brought out of the country with German help – such as human rights activists and lawyers. Including the relatives, around 10,000 people could come together who were to be flown to Germany.
The use of the Bundeswehr requires the approval of the Bundestag; because of the urgency of the situation, Parliament will vote on the mandate retrospectively. This is supposed to authorize the deployment of “a few hundred soldiers” – this is what Merkel announced according to AFP information when the Bundestag parliamentary group chairmen were briefed. In addition to German citizens and local workers, “particularly vulnerable women, human rights activists and other employees of non-governmental organizations” were to be flown out, according to the participants in the briefing.
The federal government is therefore assuming an “operation window until August 31,” it said. However, the government did not want to rule out the possibility that this window for the evacuation missions of the Bundeswehr might close earlier.
The schedule stipulates that the federal cabinet approves the mandate draft on Wednesday. The Defense Committee of the Bundestag is to discuss this on the same day. The plenum is then supposed to vote on the mandate on Wednesday next week – a special session of the Bundestag had already been scheduled for this day because it is then supposed to vote on the aid for the flood areas.
“A Political and Humanitarian Disaster”
By Monday afternoon, four air force flights were on their way to Kabul. According to information from defense circles, the evacuation plans provide for a hub for stopovers of the transport machines from Kabul to be set up in Tashkent, the capital of neighboring Uzbekistan. From there the passengers were to be brought to Germany by charter aircraft.
Chancellor Merkel warned of a new refugee crisis at the CDU meeting. “Many people will try to leave the country,” she was quoted as saying. “The subject will keep us busy for a very long time.” The federal government will work closely with the neighboring countries of Afghanistan in dealing with the expected refugee movement.
Merkel was critical of the US decision to withdraw troops from Afghanistan: This had caused a “domino effect” that had now led to the radical Islamic Taliban taking power. According to the participants, the US decision had “domestic political reasons” above all. “We always said: if the Americans stay there, then we’ll stay there too.”
Representatives of the German government rejected a comprehensive assessment of the international military operation in Afghanistan on Monday – the focus is now on acute crisis management. For his part, CDU leader and Union Chancellor candidate Armin Laschet drew a devastating conclusion: “It is the greatest debacle that NATO has suffered since it was founded,” said Laschet. “It’s a political and humanitarian disaster.”
With a view to the events in Afghanistan, Laschet spoke of a “change of epochs we are facing”. The takeover of power by the Taliban in Afghanistan also gave European foreign policy a bad testimony: “We see that Europe cannot act without the United States on our side.”
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