“We are also providing support to the small number of Irish citizens currently in Afghanistan.”
Ireland will “participate fully” in providing humanitarian aid to Afghan refugees, Taoiseach Micheál Martin said on Monday.
Martin said that he is “deeply concerned” by the situation in Afghanistan and the “pace” at which the situation has developed in recent days.
“I am deeply concerned by the unfolding situation in Afghanistan,” he said in a statement.
“The pace of developments there has taken many by surprise.
“I fully endorse the call from UN Secretary General António Guterres for the Taliban to exercise the utmost restraint. Protecting lives, meeting humanitarian needs, and respecting people’s human rights are paramount.”
He added that “all parties, including the Taliban, are obliged to, and must, respect international humanitarian law.”
Martin said that the international community and Ireland must “play its full part in providing humanitarian aid and facilitating refugees.” Adding that Ireland will “participate fully” in these efforts.
“The Departments of Foreign Affairs, Justice, and Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth are coordinating our actions,” he said.
“We are also providing support to the small number of Irish citizens currently in Afghanistan.
“I am in continuous contact with the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Simon Coveney, and will continue to monitor the situation closely over the coming days.”
It comes as Coveney suggested on Monday that Ireland could be an “example” in a “tragic situation” by taking more refugees than usual.
“People have been clinging on to planes to try to escape a future they’re very fearful of,” he said.
Thousands of Afghans and foreign nationals surged on to the tarmac at Kabul airport on Monday seeking a place on a flight out of the country.
Commercial flights have mostly been suspended, stranding Afghans and other foreign nationals in the country, while the US continues to evacuate its officials.
The Taliban has declared the war in Afghanistan is over and has taken control of the presidential palace, with the elected president having fled the country.
Afghans now suddenly face the prospect of complete domination by the Taliban again, after the group – in just a matter of days – took the rest of the country in its grip.
https://twitter.com/saadmohseni/status/1427000691407654914?
The Islamist group was able to seize control after most foreign troops pulled out.
With fears the Taliban could reimpose the brutal regime they enforced prior to the war in 2001, Afghans searched for a way out of the country with long queues lining up at cash machines trying to withdraw all of their savings.
LISTEN: You Must Be Jokin’ with Aideen McQueen – Faith healers, Coolock craic and Gigging as Gaeilge
