Afghanistan; Security Council meeting and Merkel's admission of "lack of control over the situation"

The UN Security Council, in an emergency meeting, called for an end to armed conflict in Afghanistan. Merkel also modified the news of accepting all German local collaborators, saying her country would work to get them to a safe place.

At an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council held on Monday, August 16, European countries and the United States expressed their concern, on the one hand, about the deterioration and violation of human rights, especially the rights of Afghan women, and on the other hand, about the intensification of terrorist activities.

The United Nations Security Council has called for an immediate cessation of all armed clashes in Afghanistan. The high-ranking international body announced in its statement that a unified, inclusive and representative government of all segments of the Afghan people should be formed through negotiations.

The statement adds that human rights violations must cease and that all parties to the conflict must allow humanitarian aid to be delivered without interruption or obstruction.

Merkel: We do not intend to accept all refugees on German soil

The German Chancellor moderated the news of accepting all local German colleagues and said that her country would work to get these colleagues to a safe place.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Monday evening, August 16, tempered hopes for the withdrawal of all German aid forces and local partners in Afghanistan.

"Unfortunately, we no longer have full control over the situation," the German chancellor told reporters. Whether the transfer of these local colleagues will be complete "depends on the situation in Kabul."

Merkel-Bilan viewed the international forces' military operations with a critical eye, saying that the nearly 20-year-old operation "was not as successful as we had planned."

“This is a very bitter realization for us,” Merkel added. The allies, she said, had to acknowledge “that these efforts have not been successful,” especially those related to the creation of democratic structures.

The German Chancellor, like the statements made by German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas before him, acknowledged that the German government had "misjudged" the course of events in Afghanistan, and that this error in assessment had also been made by Western allies.

Angela Merkel said we should have seen the Taliban extremist Islamists “conquer province after province and city after city with lightning speed and once again take control of the entire country.”

Angela Merkel clarified that the German government does not intend to accept large numbers of refugees from Afghanistan in Germany: "Our main goal is to give those who have directly helped us a perspective on life."

Merkel added that others should see how they can “find a safe place for themselves” in the region. She said Germany would contact Afghanistan’s neighboring countries as soon as possible in this regard and provide the necessary support to accept refugees in these countries.

According to the German Chancellor, on the other hand, the German government intends to try to help people as much as possible in the dialogue with the Taliban. He mentioned “a long list of names of people who have fought for freedom.”

Occupying the airport runway prevented the plane from landing.

So far, two German Air Force planes have been unable to land due to the occupation of the runways at Kabul airport. The first plane is headed to Tashkent for refueling, and the second is circling in Kabul airspace to allow for a landing.

German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said in this regard that US forces are trying to evacuate the population from the airport runway area. US military aircraft are also scheduled to evacuate German citizens from the country.

German planes, along with Afghan colleagues and German institutions, will facilitate the departure of citizens of other countries, provided they can land at Kabul airport.

According to the latest news, a German Air Force plane has landed at Kabul Airport.

Macron: It is our honor to welcome Afghan freedom fighters

The French President announced that his country will accept members and activists of Afghan civil society.

Emmanuel Macron said in a televised speech that "human rights defenders, artists, journalists" are currently in danger: "We welcome their arrival because it is an honor for France to be alongside people who have fought for freedom."

Britain requests virtual meeting of G7 leaders

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced that his office is planning a virtual meeting of the leaders of the Group of Seven industrialized countries regarding the situation in Afghanistan.

Johnson announced the news after talks with French President Emmanuel Macron.

British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab also said his country would make sanctions against the Afghan government conditional on the behavior of these Islamists. He said the British government would examine how the Taliban government would behave towards refugees.

Source: DW