09:48 10/09/2021
The UN accused the Taliban of intimidating staff
The first international commercial flight under Afghanistan's new interim Taliban government departed from Kabul carrying more than 100 foreigners, including some American citizens who were stranded after last month's chaotic transport.
About 113 people were on board the Qatar Airways plane that flew from Kabul to Doha, officials said. The passengers were American, Canadian, Ukrainian, German and British nationals, a source with knowledge of the matter said.
Qatar and Turkey have helped the Taliban reopen the airport. In Doha, the passengers will initially stay in a compound housing Afghans and other evacuees.
The flight marked an important step in the Taliban's efforts to establish a functioning state after they seized power last month, although reports of violence against women, foreigners and journalists by the Islamists increased.
UN Special Envoy for Afghanistan Deborah Lyons told the Security Council that non-governmental organizations supporting women were being targeted, women's freedoms were restricted and Afghan UN staff were being harassed and intimidated.
International flights have continued in recent days carrying officials, technicians and aid, but this was the first such civilian flight since the rapid evacuation of 124,000 foreigners and at-risk Afghans that followed the collapse of the US-backed government.
Hundreds of other Afghans at risk because of their previous work with the Americans have gathered for more than a week in the northern city of Mazar-e-Sharif, awaiting permission to board privately scheduled evacuation flights out of the country.
Although the Taliban assured the world they would let travelers with valid travel documents leave the country, many of those stranded at the northern airport did not have such documents.
Clan News
Source of information @TvKlan: Read more at: www.botasot.al
