Fewer than 1,400 evacuees from Afghanistan still at Qatar base, U.S. general says

Record ID: 1635008

  • Title: Fewer than 1,400 evacuees from Afghanistan still at Qatar base, U.S. general says
  • Date: 4th September 2021
  • Summary: DOHA, QATAR (SEPTEMBER 4, 2021) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF TWO AFGHAN CHILDREN RUNNING INSIDE AL UDEID BASE / LOOKING AT PHONE / AFGHAN BOY AND GIRL LOOKING AT CAMERA (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. BRIGADIER GENERAL, GERALD DONOHUE, SAYING: "57,000 evacuees made their first step to Al Udeid airbase. At present, we have got less than 1,400 on the installation, and those are principally divided into two categories. The first category are the folks who are awaiting onward movement, and we hope to move them today. So if things go according to plan, we will have a very small number remaining in Al Udeid, tomorrow and forward." HANDS HOLDING GLASSES DURING MEDIA BRIEFING (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. BRIGADIER GENERAL, GERALD DONOHUE, SAYING: "But roughly two-thirds have gone forward to other processing points. I am sure you are well aware that there are a good number at Ramstein airbase in Germany. That was a principle location that we sent many, as well as others in Europe. And then maybe a third of our evacuees have gone directly to the United States." U.S. SOLDIERS STANDING ON TARMAC (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. AIRFORCE MEMBER, CHRISTOPHER DUGLUS, SAYING: "And this is a tough situation for everybody. So, we are here to provide assistance to the evacuees so that they can be processed, and then the Department of State can determine where they will go from here." AFGHAN WOMAN SPEAKING TO U.S. SOLDIERS (SOUNDBITE) (English) AFGHAN EVACUEE, JAVED MOHAMMED, SAYING: "Referring to the services of the U.S. military .. is very good. For this reason we are happy." AFGHAN WOMEN WALKING PLANES ON TARMAC TWO SHOTS OF U.S. AIR FORCE PLANE ON TARMAC U.S. PLANE / SIGN READING (English): "AMC CHARLESTON 90062" MEN WORKING ON TOP OF PLANE
  • Embargoed: 18th September 2021 16:56
  • Keywords: Afghanistan Airbase Conflict Evacuation Qatar USA
  • Location: DOHA, QATAR
  • City: DOHA, QATAR
  • Country: Qatar
  • Topics: Conflicts/War/Peace,Middle East
  • Reuters ID: LVA001ETAYIIV
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: The United States has moved most of the 57,000 people it evacuated from Afghanistan to Qatar out of the Gulf state, with fewer than 1,400 still at the U.S. military base there, a U.S. general said on Saturday (September 4).
    The U.S. evacuated roughly 124,000 people from Kabul last month as part of a huge U.S.-led airlift of its citizens, Afghans and other nationals as the Taliban took control of the country.
    Brigadier General Gerald Donohue told reporters some of those who had been flown out of Qatar were now in the United States, while others were in Europe, where they are being processed.
    Many of the 1,400 still at Al Udeid base in Qatar are scheduled to be flown out on Saturday, while a small group needing medical care would stay until able to travel, he said.
    Afghan and non-Afghan nationals had been flown to Al Udeid and at the peak there were over 17,500 evacuees on the base at a single point in time, the general said.
    Nine babies were born at the base during the evacuation mission, he added.
    Following the scramble to evacuate vulnerable Afghans, thousands of people, some with no documentation or pending U.S. visa applications, others in families with mixed immigration statuses, are now waiting in "transit hubs" in third countries.
    Afghans must overcome bureaucratic immigration hurdles to eventually enter the United States.
    (Production: Mohammed Hamad, Nadeen Ebrahim)
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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