- Title: Spain's Moron air base prepared for US flights carrying Afghan refugees
- Date: 26th August 2021
- Summary: MORON DE LA FRONTERA, SPAIN (AUGUST 26, 2021) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR OF MORON DE LA FRONTERA AIR BASE AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL TOWER READING IN SPANISH AND ENGLISH "MORON AIR BASE" AIRCRAFT ON TARMAC AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL TOWER TARMAC MILITARY CAR DRIVING BY MORON AIR BASE MAIN ENTRANCE SPANISH FLAG VARIOUS OF SIGN AT MORON AIR BASE ENTRANCE SHOWING INSTRUCTIONS IN SPANISH AND ENGLISH TO APPROACH THE BASE BY CAR FORKLIFT MORON AIR BASE MAIN ENTRANCE VARIOUS OF PEOPLE WORKING ON AIR BASE'S FENCE VARIOUS OF VAN DRIVING BY MILITARY PLANE ON TARMAC MAN WORKING ON FENCE VAN DRIVING BY THE BASE SIGN AT MORON AIR BASE ENTRANCE SHOWING INSTRUCTIONS IN SPANISH AND ENGLISH TO APPROACH THE BASE BY CAR / BARBED WIRE
- Embargoed: 9th September 2021 13:28
- Keywords: Afghan refugees Moron airbase USA army facility in Spain flights from Kabul
- Location: MORON DE LA FRONTERA, SPAIN
- City: MORON DE LA FRONTERA, SPAIN
- Country: Spain
- Topics: Europe,Asylum/Immigration/Refugees,Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA001ERX3U4N
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:The Spanish bases of Moron and Rota used by the U.S military in southern Spain are set to host up to 4,000 Afghans who have worked for the United States following an agreement between Madrid and Washington over the weekend.
Under the deal reached between U.S. President Joe Biden and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez the Afghans could stay in Spain for up to two weeks at the Rota (Cadiz) and Moron de la Frontera (Seville) air bases.
Pressure to complete the evacuations of tens of thousands of foreigners, and Afghans who helped Western countries during the 20-year war against the Taliban, has intensified. U.S. and allied troops have to switch their focus in the coming hours or days to the logistics of their own withdrawal in order to meet the August 31 deadline.
In an alert issued on Wednesday (August 25) evening, the U.S. Embassy in Kabul advised citizens to avoid travelling to the airport and said those already at the gates should leave immediately, citing unspecified "security threats".
In a similar advisory, Britain told people to move away from the airport area. Its armed forces minister, James Heappey, said intelligence about a possible suicide bomb attack by IS militants had become "much firmer".
Canadian forces in Kabul announced on Thursday they had ended their efforts to evacuate citizens and Afghans.
Authorities have not yet confirmed when arrivals at Rota and Moron will begin.
(Production: Silvio Castellanos, Marco Trujillo, Catherine Macdonald) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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