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Freedom flight: Rescue mission touches down with Afghan evacuees

The first evacuees from Afghanistan have arrived in Perth as Australia continues a complex rescue operation in the wake of the Taliban takeover of Kabul.

Aug 20, 2021, updated Aug 20, 2021
A supplied image obtained on Wednesday, August 18, 2021, of The first Australian Defence Force evacuation flight which has departed Kabul with 26 persons on board. A RAAF C-130 Hercules has successfully evacuated 26 people from Kabul airport, which was engulfed in chaos earlier in the week. (AAP Image/Supplied by Australian Defence Force) NO ARCHIVING, EDITORIAL USE ONLY

A supplied image obtained on Wednesday, August 18, 2021, of The first Australian Defence Force evacuation flight which has departed Kabul with 26 persons on board. A RAAF C-130 Hercules has successfully evacuated 26 people from Kabul airport, which was engulfed in chaos earlier in the week. (AAP Image/Supplied by Australian Defence Force) NO ARCHIVING, EDITORIAL USE ONLY

The flight from Dubai arrived in the early hours of Friday and about 90 evacuees on board were loaded onto buses for transfer to hotel quarantine.

Australia has brought out 500 people since April, but Defence Minister Peter Dutton has played down being about to get everyone out.

“I would love to say we could pull as many people out as possible from Afghanistan. But it is a very, very difficult situation,” he told the Nine Network on Friday.

“There is no sense pretending that you can get to the airport easily. There are check points on the way to the airport.”

Federal officials were working with the West Australian government to ensure the evacuees received medical and mental health support as they completed two weeks of quarantine.

WA had agreed to take in the passengers above the state’s weekly quarantine arrivals cap.

On Thursday, a further 76 Australian citizens and Afghans with protection visas were airlifted out of Kabul to a base in the United Arab Emirates.

Another 40 Australian Defence Force personnel and provisions were also flown into Kabul to help with the rescue mission.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison earlier said weather and security issues were causing problems.

“We are moving as quickly as we can,” he said.

Australia was working to establish its own staging area at Hamid Karzai International Airport.

The government defended offering 3000 humanitarian places to Afghans fleeing the Taliban despite other nations pledging intakes more than six times that figure.

Immigration Minister Alex Hawke expected the initial commitment could rise to 5000 as the situation unfolds.

World Vision was among groups calling on Australia to create an additional 20,000 humanitarian visas for people fleeing Afghanistan.

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Hundreds of organisations signed open letter saying the government has a moral duty to the Afghan people.

Morrison said weather and security issues were presenting challenges.

“We are moving as quickly as we can.”

Australia is working to establish its own staging area at Hamid Karzai International Airport.

The government has defended offering 3000 humanitarian places to Afghans fleeing the Taliban despite other nations pledging intakes more than six times that figure.

Immigration Minister Alex Hawke expects the initial commitment could rise to 5000 as the situation unfolds in Afghanistan.

World Vision is among groups calling on Australia to create an additional 20,000 humanitarian visas for people fleeing Afghanistan.

More than 300 organisations have signed an open letter saying the government has a moral duty to the Afghan people.

Red Cross has launched a public appeal for funds to provide health care and other humanitarian aid in Afghanistan, as well as support communities in Australia to locate and reconnect with missing family in Afghanistan caught up in the crisis.

“Afghanistan is one of the world’s most fragile states. We know that humanitarian needs will remain high and are likely to increase,” Australian Red Cross’ Adrian Prouse said.

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