Taliban will permit Irish citizens to return, Government says

Irish citizens and residents stranded in Afghanistan will be allowed to leave by the Taliban, the Irish Government has said.

A joint statement issued by about 100 countries, including Ireland, Britain and the US, said assurances had been received from the Islamic fundamentalist group which now controls the country that “all foreign nationals and any Afghan citizen with travel authorisation from our countries will be allowed to proceed in a safe and orderly manner to points of departure and travel outside the country”.

“We are all committed to ensuring that our citizens, nationals and residents, employees, Afghans who have worked with us and those who are at risk, can continue to travel freely to destinations outside Afghanistan,” the statement said.

“We will continue issuing travel documentation to designated Afghans, and we have the clear expectation of and commitment from the Taliban that they can travel to our respective countries. We note the public statements of the Taliban confirming this understanding.”

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About 60 Irish citizens remain in Afghanistan along with 15 others who have the right to live in Ireland.

On Thursday a short Irish evacuation mission left the country, having secured the rescue of 26 citizens.

Repatriation

The Department of Foreign Affairs said on Sunday night the operation to secure the repatriation of Irish citizens will continue.

“We will be liaising with partners, including those who have a presence on the ground, to advise on safe options for remaining Irish citizens and immediate family members who wish to do so to leave the country in the period ahead. We will continue to provide guidance to people who have a right to Irish residency who are in Afghanistan,” it said in a statement. “Efforts to support citizens will be unstinting.”

The department is also to evaluate “the situation on the ground with respect to recipients of visa waivers under the Irish Refugee Protection Scheme”.

Such visa waivers allow entry into Ireland outside the normal channels. However the Department warned it is “not in a position to provide direct consular assistance to Afghan nationals in the country who wish to travel”.

Ireland takes up the rotating presidency of the UN Security Council on Wednesday and is examining the possibly of introducing a resolution in relation to the crises.

A department spokesman told The Irish Times that officials have been “in intensive contact with other UN Security Council members over the weekend about action at the council, including a possible resolution”.

‘Clear message’

Speaking in Cork on Saturday, Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney said the international community needs to send a “clear message” to the Taliban demanding that humanitarian aid be allowed into the country.

He stressed the international community now needs to look to see how it can negotiate to ensure those who want to leave Afghanistan will be allowed to do so.

“We are calling on the Taliban to ensure that nationals from other countries around the world who want to leave Afghanistan should be facilitated safely to do that and indeed many Afghans who want to leave should of course be entitled to do that as well. That is a human right that should be respected in terms of international law.”