Philippines orders mandatory evacuation of Filipinos in Afghanistan

US soldiers take up their positions as they secure the airport in Kabul on August 16, 2021, after a stunningly swift end to Afghanistan's 20-year war, as thousands of people mobbed the city's airport trying to flee the group's feared hardline brand of Islamist rule. - AFP

MANILA, Aug. 16 (Xinhua/AFP): The Philippines has ordered the evacuation of 130 Filipinos in Afghanistan whose capital Kabul has fallen to Taliban fighters.

The Philippines Department of Foreign Affairs raised the alert level on Afghanistan late on Sunday night to four, its highest security warning issued on countries that pose risks to Filipino travelers and workers due to armed conflict or disaster.

The department cited a "worsening security situation" in Afghanistan as Afghan President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani fled while the Taliban took control over Kabul.

"Under this alert level, the Philippine government undertakes the mandatory evacuation of all Filipinos in the area," a statement issued late Sunday night read.

The Philippine Embassy in Pakistan, which has jurisdiction over Afghanistan, is in close coordination with the department on the repatriation of the remaining Filipinos, who would be flown out via chartered flights.

AFP reported that France also announce that it will evacuate its first nationals and Afghan colleagues from the fallen Afghan capital Kabul to a base in the United Arab Emirates on Monday.

"We are planning to carry out the first rotation between now and the end of this Monday," defence minister Florence Parly said, adding there were several dozen French citizens to be evacuated.

"We have organised at the base we have in the United Arab Emirates the capabilities to receive the first evacuees," Parly said.

These are for French nationals who remain in Kabul but also "people under our protection and who we are going to evacuate", Parly said.

The French base in the UAE "will serve as a military hub to ensure the back and forth between Abu Dhabi and Kabul and then repatriation in France", Parly added.

Diplomatic personnel are included among the dozens of people set to be evacuated, she added.

Victorious Taliban fighters patrolled Kabul on Monday after a stunningly swift end to Afghanistan's 20-year war, as thousands of people mobbed the city's airport trying to flee the group's feared hardline brand of Islamist rule.

President Ashraf Ghani fled the country on Sunday night as the insurgents encircled the capital, capping a military victory that saw them capture all cities in just 10 days.

"The Taliban have won with the judgement of their swords and guns, and are now responsible for the honour, property and self-preservation of their countrymen," Ghani said after fleeing.

Government forces collapsed without the support of the US military, which invaded in 2001 after the September 11 attacks and toppled the Taliban for its support of Al-Qaeda.