New Zealand and Australia have ended their evacuation missions in Kabul.
According to the minister, 5,347 people from at least 45 countries were evacuated on German military flights, including about 500 German nationals and more than 4,000 Afghans.
All German soldiers and officials have now left the country.
Thursday night, New Zealand ended its evacuation missions after the final evacuation flight landed in the United Arab Emirates before the attacks took place outside Kabul airport.
No members of the national defense force were in Kabul at the time of the attack, and no New Zealanders were left at the airport, the government said.
New Zealand’s Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said Friday she is not yet sure how many people were left behind or whether they were New Zealand citizens, residents or visa holders.
“We went to extraordinary efforts to bring home as many as we could who were either New Zealanders or who had supported New Zealand. But the devastating thing is that we weren’t able to bring everyone,” Ardern said. “And now, we need to look to see what we can do for those who remain.”
“The evacuation operation in Kabul was highly dangerous. The Bundeswehr brought as many people as possible to safety under the most difficult circumstances on the ground,” said Australian Defence Ministry on Friday.
Interpreters who worked with the Australian and New Zealand militaries in Afghanistan told the Guardian that they feel abandoned by the governments they once served after the last evacuation flights left Kabul.
(With inputs from agencies)
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