Czech plane carrying diplomats and staff from Kabul arrives in Prague

A Czech military plane carrying 46 Czech diplomats and their colleagues and family members arrived from Afghanistan in Prague on Monday morning. The Czech Republic decided to evacuate its diplomats from Kabul after Taliban forces quickly took control of the entire country, including the capital. The Czech minister of foreign affairs, Jakub Kulhánek, said the rescue operation would continue but no details would be released until the mission had been completed. Deputy PM and Interior Minister Jan Hamáček said it had been a miracle that the Czech plane had taken off from Kabul airport in view of the rapidly deteriorating situation.

According to the association Vlčí máky, which has launched a Save the Interpretors initiative, one of the interpreters who cooperated with the Czech military in Afghanistan has been kidnapped by Taliban forces. The association says this was confirmed by the man’s brother. Others reportedly remain in hiding.