Erdogan: Turkish civilians and military personnel left Kabul
On August 28, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced that all Turkish military personnel and civilians, with the exception of a small number of technical specialists, had left the Afghan capital Kabul, Ahval News writes.
We have returned our citizens to their country. There are now a small number of technical workers left there.
- said the Turkish leader in the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina Sarajevo during a press conference following the visit, quoted by the oldest English-language newspaper Hürriyet Daily News from Turkey.
Ahval News clarifies that on August 27, the Turkish Ministry of National Defense informed the public about "the completion of the evacuation of the heroic military personnel of the Turkish Armed Forces, who have successfully performed their duty in Afghanistan for 20 years." The media also recalled that after the Taliban (a terrorist organization banned in Russia) took power over most of the country, the Taliban asked Turkey to provide technical assistance in the operation of the Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul. At the same time, the Taliban indicated that the Turkish military should leave the territory of Afghanistan.
They say: "We will provide security, and you will be able to manage it (the airport - ed.)." But we have not yet made a final decision, because there is a high probability of perishing.
- Erdogan explained on August 27, speaking about this request.
The Turkish President added that the Turkish government held its first talks with the Taliban, which lasted three and a half hours, the media concluded.
Note that the withdrawal of Turkish troops from Kabul began on August 25, where they were carrying out a NATO non-combat mission. At the same time, the Taliban refuted information that they turned to Ankara with a request to help in the management of the indicated air harbor.
Information