33 people in the country want to return to Ireland immediately
Efforts are continuing to bring home Irish citizens who are stranded in Afghanistan.
The Foreign Affairs Minister says he's reasonably confident Irish citizens stuck in the country will be home within a few days.
Minister Simon Coveney says EU member states will pressure the Taliban to abide international law and protect their population:
The number of Irish citizens looking to leave the country has increased to 33 in the last 24 hours.
Work is ongoing to arrange seats on military flights for the 25 adults and eight children.
Retired Brigadier General, Ger Aherne, says the government should be able to fly them home, without help from other nations:
Minister Simon Coveney says Ireland will have to talk to the militant group, to make a number of things clear:
At least 1 person has been killed and 7 others injured after the Taliban dispersed a protest in the eastern city of Jalalabad.
The group fired shots into the air and attacked protestors with batons.
Dozens of demonstrators lowered the insurgents' flag and raised the national one in the eastern city of Jalalabad.
Reports suggest the militants then opened fire and beat people with batons.
The Taliban have violently broken up a protest in eastern Afghanistan, quashing a rare public show of dissent. Many Afghans remain deeply skeptical of the militant group’s claims that they have changed, and the violent response could only fuel their fears. https://t.co/n8R2VDwlnc
— The Associated Press (@AP) August 18, 2021
Meanwhile, 17 people have been injured in a stampede at a gate to Kabul airport, days after thousands of Afghans were seen on the runway.
A NATO security official has told Reuters he has not heard any reports of violence by Taliban militants outside the site.
Yesterday, during a press conference, a Taliban spokesperson insisted females will have access to education and work under its new regime in Afghanistan.
“We haven’t taken revenge steps against anybody, but during the war there was no choice”
— BBC News (World) (@BBCWorld) August 17, 2021
Taliban Spokesman addresses press conference, saying “we have given amnesty to everybody, we want them to give us forgiveness”https://t.co/2f6JMTXHky pic.twitter.com/oJ5kYuD0VU
There have been concerns about the insurgents' treatment of women - but the group says women will only have to follow Islamic rules.
The Taliban says the only political support they have received so far is from Russia and China.
Spokesperson Suhail Shaheen is also calling for the immediate withdrawal of US forces:
A small protest's been held in Kabul - where women chanted that "work, education and political participation" is every woman's right:
First protest of women in Kabul.#Afghanistan
— Pajhwok Afghan News (@pajhwok) August 17, 2021
Video of @HameedMohdShah pic.twitter.com/p2guH2kSj6
The Irish Refugee Council is calling for the government to give refuge to at least 1,000 people who are fleeing the country.
The Foreign Affairs Minister says he would love "to do more" when it comes to the number of refugees Ireland accepts.
Ireland has initially agreed to take 195 people in total who are fleeing the country, but the Irish Refugee Council is calling for the number to be increased to at least 1,000.
Minister Simon Coveney says repatriating citizens is difficult at the moment:
Nick Henderson, Chief Executive of the Irish Refugee Council, says Ireland must do more to help:
Amnesty's Colm O'Gorman says the Government should act immediately:
Britain's Prime Minister is said to have "stressed the importance of not losing gains made in Afghanistan over the last twenty years" during a phone call with Joe Biden, yesterday evening.
Downing Street insists Boris Johnson and the US President committed to "working closely together" on evacuation efforts.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said Britain would do everything it could to avert a humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan https://t.co/AjgxDviVPz pic.twitter.com/ubCIY13MLp
— Reuters (@Reuters) August 18, 2021
The Irish government has announced €1 million in funding to support the people of Afghanistan.
It will be provided to the UN High Commission for Refugees to provide urgent support to people in the country.
It will also help those who have fled into neighbouring countries.
Members of Taliban forces sit at a checkpost in Kabul, after seizing the Afghan capital in a lightning offensive. More photos: https://t.co/qGv5wYW8Kd pic.twitter.com/7BWnHyleU0
— Reuters Pictures (@reuterspictures) August 18, 2021
