More Afghans evacuated by Australia from outside Afghanistan, Scott Morrison says

All evacuation flights to Australia from the Al Minhad Air Base near Dubai - where evacuees had been processed - have now been completed.

Afghanistan evacuees arrive at an Australian airport terminal.

Afghanistan evacuees arrive at an Australian airport terminal. Source: Defence media

Australia assisted in the evacuation of more than 100 people from locations outside Afghanistan, in the days after the rescue operation in Kabul formally ended.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Thursday said all rescue flights from the Al Minhad Air Base near Dubai - where evacuees had been processed - have now been completed. 
More than 3,500 people fleeing Taliban-controlled Afghanistan have been brought to Australia on evacuation flights, since the mission ceased on 27 August.  

Mr Morrison said some in this group had been evacuated from "out of the region".  

“We have already been able to lift up over a hundred people,” he told reporters. “They're on their way to Australia and should be here very, very soon.” 
Prime Minister Scott Morrison speaks to the media during a press conference at Parliament House in Canberra.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison speaks to the media during a press conference at Parliament House in Canberra. Source: AAP
No indication was given specifically where the individuals were evacuated from.

However, some Afghans have attempted to escape at the border to neighbouring Pakistan in an effort to flee the country.

The Taliban has offered assurances all foreign nationals and Afghan citizens with travel authorisation will continue to be permitted to safely exit the country.

But Mr Morrison has previously expressed that he is "cautious" about the commitment being relied on. 

The Australian government has committed to bringing in at least 3,000 entrants from Afghanistan as part of its existing humanitarian visa program.  

The figure has been described as a .
Co-chair of an advisory panel overseeing the intake, Paris Aristotle, has also

The Prime Minister on Thursday said he had spoken with French President Emmanual Macron and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson about the situation in Afghanistan. 

He said the government remained "very focussed” on the task ahead. 

“We are continuing to work with our coalition partners on the next phase of that program,” he said.   

The Australian government has previously backed calls urging people wanting to flee the Taliban to be out of Afghanistan.  


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2 min read
Published 9 September 2021 3:51pm
Updated 9 September 2021 4:20pm
By Tom Stayner
Source: SBS News



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