A German national attempting to escape from Afghanistan has been shot, according to a statement from Germany’s deputy government spokeswoman on Friday.
Deputy government spokeswoman Ulrike Demmer stated that a civilian had been shot trying to flee the country, saying: “He is receiving medical care, but there is no danger to his life.” She added that the man would soon be flown out of the country.
According to a report from German tabloid B.Z., the man had been shot at on his way to the airport where several countries are trying to extract their citizens as well as other staff, humanitarian workers and journalists.
“The situation at Kabul airport is extremely confusing. There are always dangerous situations and armed conflicts at the gates,” a German embassy letter published Friday stated.
“[T]here can always be short-term closures of the gates, because so many people with their families try to come to the site. Unfortunately, we cannot inform you in advance when the gates will be open,” the letter added.
German Evac Plane Flies with Just Seven Souls, UK Denies ‘Empty’ Flights out of Afghan Claims https://t.co/PgNCjpBznu
— Breitbart London (@BreitbartLondon) August 19, 2021
Due to conditions on the ground in Kabul, several countries have been limited in the number of people they have been able to evacuate from the country since the Afghan capital fell to the Taliban on Sunday.
One German Luftwaffe aircraft is said to have only evacuated seven people despite the plane, an A-400M transport, being able to carry hundreds at a time.
The United States has faced similar problems with its C-17 aircraft, which can hold up to 600 people at a time, departing Kabul airport with an average of just 110 people aboard.
In the United Kingdom, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer cited NGO claims in the House of Commons that British aircraft had left with hardly anyone onboard them. This was later denied by Britain’s Defence Secretary, Ben Wallace.
“None of our planes are leaving empty. I can’t vouch for other nations, but our planes never leave empty. If we have spaces on them, we offer them up for other nations. We took out some NATO interpreters recently, we’ve taken out some people from other [European states],” Wallace said.
Australian citizens trying to reach evacuation transports are apparently being forcibly turned away by Taliban fighters encircling Kabul airport. https://t.co/b20vZjVYx5
— Breitbart News (@BreitbartNews) August 20, 2021
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