(AFP) Italy said it has taken in the largest number of Afghans fleeing the war-ravaged country following the Taliban takeover, vowing “not to abandon” vulnerable groups after airlift evacuations end.
Western nations are scrambling to get their citizens out of Kabul airport ahead of an August 31 deadline, along with Afghan nationals flagged as eligible to go.
Italy’s foreign minister said it had evacuated close to 5,000 Afghan citizens in recent days, speaking at Rome’s Fiumicino airport as the last Italian aircraft from Kabul landed with 58 more Afghan citizens on board.
“We are the EU country taking in the biggest number of Afghan evacuees,” Luigi Di Maio said on Saturday.
