PARIS, 24 August 2021 (AFP) – If the US goes ahead with its plan to withdraw all troops from the country by 31 August, France will hold off on Afghan withdrawal this Thursday (26) – the head of the foreign ministry said Cases, Nicholas Roche, This Tuesday (24).
If the United States confirms a full withdrawal by August 31, as planned, “for us … that means our operation ends on Thursday night. So we have three days,” Chief Off-Staff Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said.
After the Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan, France, like other countries, established an air bridge to put the French and Afghans at risk. Since then about 2,000 people have been transferred.
According to the French chancellor, there are still 62 French people to be relocated. French officials are also investigating withdrawal requests from a large number of Afghans.
French Prime Minister Jean Casteux said on Tuesday that “it is necessary to distinguish between emergencies, which require a quick response from others”.
The Crisis and Support Center (CDCS) of the French Foreign Ministry has received about 120,000 calls since the inception of the airlift.
“90% to 95% of the calls are concerned about Afghans, refugees in France, their families,” the ministry said.
jmt-fz-meb/tjc/tt
