- Title: Protesters gather in Paris as U.S,, allied forces end Kabul evacuations
- Date: 28th August 2021
- Summary: PARIS, FRANCE (AUGUST 28, 2021) (REUTERS) PROTEST TAKING PLACE WITH WOMAN HOLDING SIGN READING (English): "AFGHAN LIVES MATTER" PROTEST UNDERWAY PROTESTERS PROTEST TAKING PLACE CHILD HOLDING BANNER READING (English): "FREE AFGHANISTAN" AFGHAN FLAG FLYING 25-YEAR-OLD AFGHAN REFUGEE, NAWID, SPEAKING WITH OTHER PROTESTER SIGN READING (French): "International Movement for Peace" (SOUNDBITE) (French) 25 YEAR-OLD AFGHAN REFUGEE, NAWID, SAYING: "My family is there, my father works for the Afghan government and now they are in great trouble. What's happening in Afghanistan? The Taliban have said "we won't kill people who work for the government", but that's a joke, a joke. They want to show to Europe and the United States that they are not the Taliban of 2001, that they like democracy and things like that, but that's not true, really, it isn't true." PROTEST UNDERWAY (SOUNDBITE) (French) PROTESTER, MORGANE MARIERE, SAYING: "I have the feeling that we are given up on them (the Afghan people), that we are giving them away to a terrorist government because whatever some might say, the Taliban haven't changed, they are still terrorists who are trying a better image of themselves currently but as long as international media will be there, they'll try to show themselves as more obliging but manhunts have already started, a lot of people in Afghanistan are targeted by the Taliban, and not to mention the rights of women." VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS PREPARING SIGNS PROTESTERS STANDING PROTEST UNDERWAY
- Embargoed: 11th September 2021 16:45
- Keywords: Afghanistan Kabul Taliban demonstration protest
- Location: PARIS, FRANCE
- City: PARIS, FRANCE
- Country: France
- Topics: Conflicts/War/Peace,Europe,Military Conflicts
- Reuters ID: LVA001ES71AVB
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Protesters gathered in Paris on Saturday (August 28) in support of Afghanistan after the Taliban took over the country.
The protest took place as Western countries hurried to evacuate as many people from Afghanistan as possible before an Aug. 31 deadline.
Protesters were holding signs and flags and called on the international community not to give up on trying to help the Afghan population.
Afghan refugee Nawid arrived in France in 2015. His family are still living in Kabul. He said his father, who worked for the Afghan government is at risk of being arrested by the Taliban.
"The Taliban have said "we won't kill people who work for the government", but that's a joke, a joke, he said, refusing to give his surname to protect his family.
U.S. and allied forces have been racing to complete the evacuations and withdraw by the August 31 deadline set by President Joe Biden after two decades of American military presence in Afghanistan.
As of Saturday, there were fewer than 4,000 U.S. troops at Kabul airport, the U.S. official, who declined to be identified, told Reuters, down from 5,800 at the peak of the evacuation mission.
Thursday's (August 26) suicide blast, claimed by (ISIS-K), the Afghan affiliate of Islamic State, caused a bloodbath outside the gates of the airport where thousands of Afghans have gathered to try to get a flight out since the Taliban took control of Kabul on Aug. 15.
The attack killed scores of Afghans and 13 U.S. service members, the most lethal incident for U.S. troops in Afghanistan in a decade.
The Taliban, hardline Islamist militants, are enemies of Islamic State and have said they have arrested some suspects involved in Thursday's airport blast.
The White House said the next few days were likely to be the most dangerous of the evacuation operation. The United States and allies have taken about 111,900 people out of Afghanistan in the past two weeks, the Pentagon has said.
(Production: Lucien Libert) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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