- Title: Turkish soldiers begin returning from Afghanistan
- Date: 26th August 2021
- Summary: ANKARA, TURKEY (AUGUST 26, 2021) (REUTERS) PLANE LANDING VARIOUS OF PLANE PARKED ON TARMAC AS SEEN BEHIND FENCES BUSSES SEEN IN DISTANCE VARIOUS OF PLANE AND BUSSES ON TARMAC
- Embargoed: 9th September 2021 12:40
- Keywords: Afghanistan Turkey evacuations
- Location: ANKARA, TURKEY
- City: ANKARA, TURKEY
- Country: Turkey
- Topics: Conflicts/War/Peace,Europe,Middle East,Military Conflicts
- Reuters ID: LVA001ERX4IMF
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:Turkey's military has begun evacuating from Afghanistan, after the Taliban had asked Ankara for technical help to run Kabul airport but insisted it withdraw its military by the end of August.
The plane carrying the first group of Turkish soldiers back home landed at Ankara's Esenboga Airport on Thursday (August 26).
Mainly Muslim Turkey was part of a NATO mission in Afghanistan and still has hundreds of troops at Kabul airport. It has also been involved in evacuation efforts since the Taliban took control of the capital this month.
Presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin said the troop withdrawal would take up to 36 hours and that the first plane had already taken off.
He said the Taliban wanted technical support from Turkey in running the airport and that talks would likely reach positive results.
(Production: Mert Ozkan, Yesim Dikmen) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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