32 Filipinos evacuated as DFA raises Alert Level 4 in Afghanistan
MANILA, Philippines — At least 32 Filipinos have been evacuated from Afghanistan on Sunday night, the Department of Foreign Affairs said.
They are now in Doha, Qatar while waiting for their flights to the Philippines, the DFA said in a statement Monday.
Another group of 19 Filipinos are also scheduled to leave Afghanistan immediately.
According to Foreign Affairs Assistant Secretary Ed Menez, less than 130 Filipinos remain in Afghanistan, which has been taken over by the Taliban.
The DFA has issued Alert Level 4, which means evacuation or mandatory repatriation, for Afghanistan due to the "uncertain security situation in the country."
"The Department and its Foreign Service Posts in the region and beyond are exploring all avenues of cooperation and are closely coordinating with governments and international partners to guarantee their immediate and safe passage," the agenecy said in a statement.
The DFA called on all Filipinos in Afghanistan to join the repatriation effort and to immediately contact the Philippine Embassy in Pakistan.
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The Taliban were in control of Afghanistan on Monday after President Ashraf Ghani fled the country and conceded the insurgents had won the 20-year war.
The astonishingly quick collapse of the government, with militants taking over the presidential palace on Sunday night, triggered fear and panic in the capital.
Thousands of people were on Monday trying to escape Kabul and the feared hardline brand of Islamic rule of the Taliban, with scenes of chaos as crowds gathered at the airport.
Ghani fled on Sunday as the insurgents encircled Kabul, with the Taliban sealing a nationwide military victory that saw all cities fall to them in just 10 days.
"The Taliban have won with the judgement of their swords and guns, and are now responsible for the honour, property and self-preservation of their countrymen," Ghani said in a statement posted to Facebook, his first since fleeing.
— Patricia Lourdes Viray with AFP/Jay Deshmukh and David Fox
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