12 Kenyans evacuated from Afghanistan as three still in Kabul

Evacuees crowd the interior of a U.S. Air Force C-17 Globemaster III transport aircraft, carrying some 640 Afghans to Qatar from Kabul, Afghanistan, on August 15, 2021.

Twelve Kenyans who worked for private contractors in Afghanistan have been evacuated to Birmingham in the UK, the Foreign Affairs ministry has said.

Three Kenyans are, however, still holed up in Kabul hoping to be evacuated soon.

In an update on the situation of Kenyans in Afghanistan, the ministry said the Kenyan Embassy in Beijing has reached out to more Kenyans and established that another group of 40 Kenyans was evacuated to Kazakhstan late last night.

“Kenyan missions in the region continue to reach out to Kenyans employed in the security sector and others engaged by private companies who are yet to be evacuated by their employees,” the statement added.

The situation at Kabul airport has hurt efforts to evacuate, but the Foreign Affairs ministry said the Kenyan Missions will continue to reach out to the private companies to ensure their safety.

Meanwhile, Reuters has reported that armed members of the Taliban kept people desperate to flee Afghanistan from reaching Kabul's airport on Wednesday, witnesses said, while President Joe Biden vowed to keep U.S. troops in the country until all Americans are evacuated.

Since the Taliban entered Kabul over the weekend, scenes of chaos have unfolded as thousands seek to leave, fearing a return to the austere interpretation of Islamic law imposed during the previous Taliban rule that ended 20 years ago.

"Everyone wants out," said a member of an Afghan family after it arrived in Germany. "Every day is worse than the day before. We saved ourselves but we couldn't rescue our families."

Witnesses said Taliban members prevented people from getting into the airport compound, including those with the necessary documents to travel.

"It's a complete disaster. The Taliban were firing into the air, pushing people, beating them with AK47s," said one person who was trying to get through.

Reuters added that a Taliban official said commanders and soldiers had fired into the air to disperse crowds outside Kabul airport, but told Reuters: "We have no intention to injure anyone."

As the airlift of Western citizens and Afghans who worked for foreign governments sought to ramp up, Biden said U.S. forces would remain until the evacuation of Americans was finished, even if that meant staying past the Aug. 31 U.S. deadline for complete withdrawal.

The president, who has faced criticism about the U.S. departure, said the chaos was inevitable. Asked in an interview with ABC News if the exit of U.S. troops could have been handled better, Biden said: "No. ... The idea that somehow, there's a way to have gotten out without chaos ensuing, I don't know how that happens."

U.S. officials have told the Taliban "that we expect them to allow all American citizens, all third-country nationals, and all Afghans who wish to leave to do so safely and without harassment," U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman told reporters in Washington.