TWO attempts to fly out 79 overseas Filipino workers Wednesday night in Afghanistan via new Delhi and Islamabad these proved to be unsuccessful “due to the cancellation of all commercial flights,” the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said in a statement on Thursday.
“As experienced by the group, access to and even within the airport is very difficult, and if able to check-in, there’s no assurance that a flight would be able to leave,” the DFA explained.
There are still 90 OFWs left in Kabul, DFA reported, but only 79 have signified their intention to be repatriated.
The DFA said it continues to repatriate the remaining Filipino in Afghanistan, “exhausting all avenues to ensure their safety and eventual evacuation.”
“Some Filipinos have been able to leave through the help of their foreign employers, and last Wednesday, there were seven Filipinos who were confirmed to have evacuated Qatar, while another five were able to go to the UK.”
The DFA said Philippine embassies are still verifying reports of other Filipinos who have left Kabul.
“In all cases, the DFA will assist their return to the Philippines” even as it advised those who are in Afghanistan to leave at a moment’s notice.
The DFA advised them to travel light, “with minimal luggage.”
The DFA has issued Alert Level 4, which means evacuation or mandatory repatriation for those OFWs for Afghanistan due to the “uncertain security situation in the country.”
The Taliban overwhelmed the Afghan army as they continued their march across the country in a matter of weeks, culminating with the takeover of Kabul on Sunday (August 15), as President Ashraf Ghani fled the country and conceded the insurgents had won the 20-year war.
The Taliban entered the Palace and held a press conference, promising to respect the rights of women, a vow that many take guardedly, given the Taliban’s sordid background in treating women.
The quick collapse of the government triggered fear and panic in the capital, as many Afghans, interpreters, US embassy personnel and foreigners tried to leave the country via the Hamid Karzai International Airport.
An initial batch of 35 Filipino workers were able to leave Kabul via a US military plane to Qatar on Sunday night, hours after the Taliban took control.
“The Taliban have won with the judgement of their swords and guns, and are now responsible for the honor, property and self-preservation of their countrymen,” Ghani said in a statement posted on Facebook, his first since fleeing.