Germany to step up efforts to admit former Afghan support staff- Scholz

FILE PHOTO: German soldiers line up for the final roll call in front of an German armed forces Bundeswehr Airbus A400M cargo plane after returning from Afghanistan at the airfield in Wunstorf, Germany, June 30, 2021. Hauke-Christian Dittrich/Pool via REUTERS/File Photo

BERLIN (Reuters) - Germany will step up efforts to fly to safety local staff who worked for its military in Afghanistan, Finance Minister Olaf Scholz was quoted as saying, as Taliban fighters seize more territory from forces loyal to the government in Kabul.

Since 2013, Germany has admitted nearly 800 Afghans in that category and about 2,500 family members over security fears, and calls to accelerate the process for support staff still there have grown louder as the Taliban have advanced.