Two Canadian military aircraft participated Afghanistan Evacuation efforts are being “reconfigured” to accommodate as many people as possible who have fled the Taliban’s takeover.
Members of the Canadian Army on the ground are also “assisting” in adding the vetted list to the military’s Globemaster aircraft.
However, it is not clear whether this means that the army is venturing outside the Kabul airport to help the trapped people. They are either avoiding the Taliban or trying to cross the perimeter of the airport.
Jessica Lamirande, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Defense, said: “The Global Overlord is currently being reconfigured to transport as many people as possible as safely as possible, and CAF personnel have the right to make decisions on the ground to save lives. “.
She added that the military team “will obtain a list of vetted and vulnerable people and will assist them in boarding the aircraft. For security reasons, the details of the process cannot be disclosed.”
Global News reported on Wednesday evening that Canadian officials have reached an agreement with the United States to allow two military aircraft-CC-177 Globemasters-to resume “scheduled flights” as part of an international effort to evacuate diplomats and Afghans fleeing from Taliban takeover. . nation.
The transport aircraft has a capacity of approximately 140 to 160 people, although one of the typical images of the crisis in the past week is a photo of 640 people Tightly squeezed into the cargo hold of an American aircraft of the same type.
On Sunday, August 15, 2021, approximately 640 Afghan citizens were transported safely from the Hamid Karzai International Airport in Afghanistan in a C-17 Globemaster III of the US Air Force. Photo by Chris Herbert/U.S. Air Force via CNP/ABACAPRESS.COM.
Chris Herbert/U.S. Air Force from CNP/ABACAPRESS.COM
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau It said on Friday that the government’s efforts to evacuate personnel are continuing, and Canada’s first military evacuation flight left Kabul on Thursday night.
He was asked how many people were on the boat, but did not say.
Trudeau, the leader of the Liberal Party, who is running for reelection, said: “I can tell you that the flight is full.”
“Global News” learned that there were 198 people on the flight, and the source said that someone had discussed limiting the number of passengers based on the number of seat belts available.
This is only half of what the U.S. Air Force spokesperson said that the country is taking U.S. aircraft to take evacuees out of Kabul.
Air Force Captain Frederick M. Wallace told Global News in a statement that the plane’s normal passenger capacity was about 100 passengers, but it was increased to 300 by placing passengers on the floor.
However, in the past few days, this number has risen.
He said in an email: “In the past few days, we have increased the maximum capacity, each C-17 can accommodate 400 evacuees.”
“So now we are placing 400 evacuees on the floor of a cargo plane, which does not have any seats, and is designed to handle the normal operation of up to about 100 people.”
read more: Canada wants to evacuate as many Afghans as “nearly impossible”: Trudeau
Trudeau added that he will attend the virtual G7 leaders summit on the crisis next week.
Although the parliament was disbanded during the federal election campaign, Trudeau retained the role of prime minister and his cabinet retained the role of minister, but according to the caretaker convention, their use of this power should be limited to daily or urgent public affairs interests.
The US military currently controls the Kabul Airport and air traffic control there.
However, due to hazards on the ground, including the Taliban blockade preventing people from entering the airport, and concerns about the safety of flight paths leaving Kabul, efforts to evacuate as many civilians and foreign nationals as possible have become complicated.
Trudeau said on Thursday that it may be “nearly impossible” to get as many people as Canada hopes to leave Kabul.
Trudeau told reporters: “Unless the Taliban significantly change their position, which is something the international community and Canada are working on, it will be difficult for many people to leave.”
“Of course we will get some, but in the next few weeks it will be almost impossible to get as many people out as we want.”
It is expected that Canadian military flights will have Canadian citizens working in the Kabul embassy, Afghans supporting the war efforts of the Allied forces there, and foreign nationals.
Ramande said: “These flights are expected to have foreign and Afghan nationals accepted by other countries’ immigration programs.”
“In turn, other countries have and will continue to attract Canadian citizens or Afghans who are going to (or are eligible to immigrate) to Canada. We are working closely with our counterparts; our goal is to ensure that as many people as possible evacuate safely.”
La Mirand said that he is currently studying how to best handle the evacuees at the transition point on their way to Canada, but it is not expected that the Canadian military will arrange for these personnel.
The current deadline for evacuation is August 31.
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg (Jens Stoltenberg) said on Friday that several allies evacuated from the airport are pushing for an extension of the evacuation time.
Documents from Mercedes Stephenson of Global.
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