Poland sends troops to Afghanistan

Poland has sent a contingent of up to 100 troops to help with evacuation efforts in Afghanistan, officials have said.

A handout satellite image made available by Maxar Technologies shows crowds on the tarmac of Kabul International Airport, Afghanistan.

Photo: PAP/EPA/MAXAR TECHNOLOGIES HANDOUT/SATELLITE IMAGE 2021 MAXAR TECHNOLOGIES

President Andrzej Duda’s decision to deploy Polish soldiers to Kabul was announced late on Wednesday.

Polish 🇵🇱 Military Contingent of up to 100 military personnel will be deployed to #Afghanistan 🇦🇫 to secure the evacuation of Polish nationals and other nationals who need to leave the country. https://t.co/KgWkN1MnNG

— PLinNATO (@PLinNATO) August 19, 2021

By Thursday morning, part of the contingent had already reached the Afghan capital, according to the Polish defence ministry.

The contingent’s “only goal is to work with other NATO forces remaining in Afghanistan amid evacuation efforts at Kabul airport,” Paweł Soloch, head of the Polish president's National Security Bureau (BBN), told reporters.

A first Polish plane carrying a group of people evacuated from the Afghan capital Kabul landed at Warsaw airport on Wednesday night, followed by a second such flight arriving on Thursday morning, state news agency PAP reported.

PM @MorawieckiM on situation in #Afghanistan: We have brought the first transports from #Kabul. Our military mission has been sent to Afghanistan to assist in the whole process. The efficiency of our services has been recognised by the #EU and #NATO. pic.twitter.com/bDvFBx9fZg

— Chancellery of the Prime Minister of Poland (@PremierRP_en) August 19, 2021

(tf/gs)

Source: IAR, PAP