Turkey has started evacuating its troops from Afghanistan, the National Defense Ministry said on Wednesday.
“Turkish Armed Forces is returning to our homeland with the pride of successfully fulfilling the task entrusted to them,” a ministry statement said.
Turkey is evacuating its personnel from Kabul airport, after Taliban officials said Afghanistan did not need the presence of Turkish troops https://t.co/BPszz3IkEh
— Middle East Eye (@MiddleEastEye) August 25, 2021
Since 2002, the Turkish Armed Forces have operated in Afghanistan under the UN, NATO and bilateral agreements to contribute to the peace, welfare, and stability of the Afghan people, the statement said.
It added that the Turkish troops intervened together with the soldiers of other countries during the chaos and ensured security at the Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul.
As many as 1,129 civilian Turkish citizens were evacuated through military aircraft during the process, the statement noted.
“We want good relations with Turkey, but we don’t want their soldiers in Afghanistan...there is no need for Turkish troops in Afghanistan, we are more than capable of securing the Kabul airport ourselves" - Zabihullah Mujahid, Taliban spokesperson https://t.co/WArwr1vmQt
— Middle East Eye (@MiddleEastEye) August 24, 2021
This article has been adapted from its original source.
