Stationed at Kabul Airport
9 members of the Irish Army Rangers, who are station at the Curragh, here in Co. Kildare, have arrived in Afghanistan & are working on the ground to try and evacuate the remaining 36 Irish citizens, Irish passport & visa-holders.
The members are stationed at Kabul Airport, for what has been described as a "short concentrated mission".
Retired Air Corp Pilot, Kevin Phipps, flew a similar evacuation mission from Syria 15 years ago, he says it's highly likely the Irish jet will be called into action:
The Irish Government's private jet has been sent to the Middle East as a contingency to get people out of the Taliban controlled country.
US President Joe Biden has categorically rejected calls from allies to extend the deadline to get troops out of the country beyond 31st August.
We have made significant progress in the last ten days. pic.twitter.com/yySjGDwFO6
— President Biden (@POTUS) August 25, 2021
The Taliban said there would be consequences if evacuation efforts continue into September.
Joe Biden says plans are in place if a delay's deemed necessary:
Sky's Tim Marshall says the world leaders who asked for the extension may be pre-empting a chaotic final few days:
Shkula Zadran is a student in Afghanistan and was its youth representative at the United Nations last year:
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