52 Kenyans evacuated from Kabul to safety in UK
The Kenyan Embassy in Beijing has evacuated more than 50 Kenyans who had been trapped in Kabul, Afghanistan to Birmingham in the UK on Wednesday.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday said those rescued included 12 private contractors who were moved to Birmingham in the United Kingdom.
According to the Kenyan mission in Beijing, another 40 were moved to Kazakhstan.
“Another group of 40 Kenyans was evacuated to Kazakhstan late Wednesday night,” a dispatch from the ministry indicated last evening.
The ministry said Kenyan missions in the Gulf region are continuing to reach out to those employed in the security sector and others engaged by private companies who are yet to be evacuated by their employers.
Meanwhile, three Kenyans are hanging on hopes they will be evacuated soonest as they are holed up in the troubled capital, Kabul.
“The situation at Kabul airport continues to be a challenge for those who wish to be evacuated but the Kenyan missions will continue to reach out to private companies to ensure the safety and welfare of the Kenyan nationals,” the ministry added.
Diplomatic presence
This comes even as the National Employment Authority remained mute over the matter, with a landline whose calls are never responded to. Ministry also said the Islamabad mission will support coordination because Kenya does not have diplomatic presence in Afghanistan.
“Kenya has no diplomatic presence in Afghanistan nor accreditation to Afghanistan.
Nevertheless, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, through the Kenya High Commission in Islamabad, Pakistan, the nearest Mission to Afghanistan has reached out to our allies to get information of any Kenyans stranded in Afghanistan and prospects of evacuation,” stated the ministry.
