Afghanistan - Q&A (14 Feb. 2022)

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Q: 1) Are there plans to carry out additional evacuation flights from Afghanistan in the near future? If so, how many potential passengers have you identified and how would you characterize them?
2) Many of those who were evacuated during the August airlift arrived in France alone or without all of their family members (spouses, children) because of the chaotic departure conditions. Will France show particular empathy when it studies their family reunification cases?

A: 1 – Before the fall of Kabul, we evacuated all local Afghan employees who were working with France, along with their families. On August 15, we launched Operation Apagan, which – up until the attack on August 26 – enabled us to evacuate another 3,000 people, including more than 2,600 Afghans and 110 French citizens, who were able to take advantage of operations conducted with assistance from Qatar.

In the course of these operations, we received many requests. We remain fully committed to organizing new operations as soon as possible in conjunction with the Qatari authorities, with whom we are working closely. The priority will have to be given to French, European and third-country nationals, as well as Afghan men and women who are at risk due to their ties with France or their work championing universal values.

2- We suggest you address your second question to the Ministry of the Interior and OFPRA (the French Office for the Protection of Refugees and Stateless Persons).