36 Irish Citizens Waiting To Leave Afghanistan

10 Irish citizens have been evacuated

10 Irish citizens have been evacuated from Afghanistan, while 36 Irish people are still trying to leave the country.

Just over 200 Afghan refugees have received confirmation they will be re-settled in Ireland.

Minister for Integration Roderic O'Gorman says those people will start arriving here shortly:

The Taliban has insisted there is no need to extend the deadline for the withdrawal of western forces from Afghanistan.

US President Joe Biden says he has an unwavering commitment to bring Americans and vulnerable Afghans to safety following the Taliban's takeover.

It's reported aid will be withheld if the Taliban commits human rights abuses and allows its territory to be used as a haven for militants.

Biden is expected to extend the 31st of August date back, to allow more time to get people out of the country.

The 78 year-old US President says the militant group has been co-operative in evacuation efforts in Kabul - the US have flown 11,000 people out of the capital over the weekend:

Britain's flown more than 5,000 people out of Afghanistan.

The UK Ambassador to the country, Laurie Bristow, says 1,000 people have been evacuated in the last 14 hours alone.

Mr. Bristow has tweeted from Britain's evacuation handling centre in Kabul:

Watch my update on the UK evacuation effort, which is gathering pace. Huge efforts from our soldiers, diplomats, border force colleagues, and all who are supporting us back in the UK. pic.twitter.com/qEj4gB1omz

— Laurie Bristow (@laurie_bristow) August 22, 2021

The German military is reporting Afghan soldier has died after a gun fight at Kabul airport.

Officials have tweeted the battle between "unknown attackers" and security broke out early this morning.

#Afghanistan - Information from @BMVg_Bundeswehr: There was a firefight at the #Kabul airport North Gate last night. US and German forces were involved. No soldiers of the #Bundeswehr were injured, one Afghan security force was killed, 3 others were injured. @Bw_Einsatz https://t.co/Qtj6ouuMXG

— Germany in the EU (@germanyintheeu) August 23, 2021

An additional 3 people have been injured.

US and German forces were involved in the incident, but no injuries were reported.

Unicef and the World Health Organisation are calling for international help to deliver critical health supplies to 18 million people in Afghanistan.

Unicef says 300,000 people have been displaced, and it needs to deliver lifesaving supplies to millions of people in need of aid.

“We urge the Taliban and other parties to ensure that UNICEF and our humanitarian partners have safe, timely and unfettered access to reach children in need wherever they are." Read @unicefchief statement on children in #Afghanistan ⬇️https://t.co/EjEE7qx5bQ

— UNICEF Afghanistan (@UNICEFAfg) August 23, 2021

A quick-thinking US pilot has saved the life of a pregnant Afghan woman, and successfully helped in delivering her baby.

The woman, who was on a plane traveling from the Kabul to a US air base in Germany, went into labour at a dangerously high altitude.

The pilot quickly descended the aircraft to boost oxygen levels and officials onboard delivered the baby girl inside the cargo bay.

Pregnant Afghan woman delivers baby on Air Force C-17 evacuation flight https://t.co/Dqy9abSVsy

— ABC7 Eyewitness News (@ABC7) August 22, 2021