Belgian PM says to end evacuation due to imminent terrorist attacks around Kabul airport

Record ID: 1633844

  • Title: Belgian PM says to end evacuation due to imminent terrorist attacks around Kabul airport
  • Date: 26th August 2021
  • Summary: VILVOORDE, BELGIUM (AUGUST 25, 2021) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR OF BELGIAN MILITARY BASE WHERE EVACUEES ARE BEING REGISTERED UPON ARRIVAL IN BELGIUM FROM AFGHANISTAN VIA PAKISTAN VARIOUS OF BELGIAN MILITARY POLICE ESCORTING OUT CARS OF PEOPLE WHO CAME TO PICK UP EVACUEES AT MILITARY BASE BELGIAN MILITARY POLICE ESCORTING TAXI THAT CAME TO PICK UP EVACUEES TAXI LEAVING MILITARY BASE WITH EVACUEE ONBOARD BELGIAN MILITARY POLICE ESCORTING DUTCH-REGISTERED COACHES OUT OF MILITARY BASE COACHES LEAVING MILITARY BASE BELGIAN MILITARY POLICEMAN HELPING COACHES LEAVE THE MILITARY BASE / EVACUEE ONBOARD COACH DUTCH OFFICIAL CAR LEAVING MILITARY BASE BELGIAN MILITARY POLICE ESCORTING LUXEMBOURG-REGISTERED COACH OUT OF MILITARY BASE COACH DRIVING OUT OF MILITARY BASE COACH DRIVING AWAY
  • Embargoed: 9th September 2021 10:19
  • Keywords: Afghanistan Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo Belgium Dedonder Islamabad Kabul Pakistan aircraft airport attack evacuation flight military suicide bomb attack
  • Location: BRUSSELS, STEENOKKERZEEL AND VILVOORDE, BELGIUM
  • City: BRUSSELS, STEENOKKERZEEL AND VILVOORDE, BELGIUM
  • Country: Belgium
  • Topics: Conflicts/War/Peace,Europe,International/National Security
  • Reuters ID: LVA003ERX1KQV
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: EDITORS PLEASE NOTE: THIS EDIT CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY
    Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo said on Thursday (August 26) the country ended its Red Kite evacuation operations after U.S. sources informed the government of an imminent suicide bomb attack around Kabul airport.
    "We also observed that access through the gates was becoming more and more difficult and at some point became impossible," he added.
    De Croo told a news conference a little over 1,400 people were evacuated by Belgium from Kabul, with the last flight arriving at Islamabad last night.
    "Yesterday we operated five flights between (the Afghan capital) Kabul and (the Pakistani capital) Islamabad, bringing to 23 the total number of flights between Kabul and Islamabad," he said.
    Speaking at the same news conference, Defence Minister Ludivine Dedonder said Belgium started to pull out its military forces and consular workers from Afghanistan.
    "Securing our military detachment and the consular team was of utmost importance to us," she said.
    Dedonder added some Belgian military forces would remain in the Pakistani capital Islamabad for the time being.
    Among the 1,400 evacuees, most are Belgian nationals but the country of 11 million also transported citizens on behalf of other countries, including the Netherlands.
    (Production: Christian Levaux, Johnny Cotton, Clement Rossignol)
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2021. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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