Secret Australian evacuation mission in Afghanistan underway

The first of “many” evacuation flights of Aussie citizens, residents and visa holders from Afghanistan has landed safely.

The first of “many” Australian missions to evacuate our citizens, residents, visa holders and staff and allies from Afghanistan has been a success, Scott Morrison has confirmed.

An RAAF Hercules military aircraft flew into Kabul to extract 26 individuals and transport them to a base in the Emirates, as part of an exercise described by Foreign Affairs Minister Marise Payne as a “complex and dangerous situation”.

The C130J Hercules can carry up to 128 passengers but recent days has seen US forces try to cram in more people into aircraft and exceed weight limits to rescue them from Taliban rule.

“Last evening, Australia’s operation to commence evacuating Australians, visa holders, Afghan nationals and others from Kabul commenced,” Prime Minister Scott Morrison told reporters from Canberra.

“We’re able to get our first flight in last night, enabling us to also transfer key personnel from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Home Affairs and Defence, to facilitate the evacuation of citizens, residents and visa holders, Afghan nationals from Kabul.

“This was the first of what will be many flights, subject to weather and we do note that over the back end of this week, there is some not too favourable weather forecast.”

While the initial flight only carried 26 passengers, subsequent missions are expected to bring a greater number of people out of the country, Mr Morrison said.

“The operation involves everything from establishing that contact with those who were in Afghanistan, particularly closer to Kabul, and to ensure that they can be in a position to be at the airport in order to be evacuated on the flights as they come into Kabul, to process their embarkation, and to get on to those flights,” he said, adding that the process is “not simple”.

“It’s very difficult for any Australian to imagine the sense of chaos and uncertainty that is existing across this country, the breakdown in formal communications, the ability to reach people. And we are doing this directly ourselves.”

RELATED: Stunning photo inside rescue plane

An RAAF flight appeared briefly on flight radars this morning before going dark. Picture: Flight Radar 24

Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Foreign Minister Marise Payne described the “complex and dangerous” situation. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Gary Ramage

The PM said arrangements have been made with the state and territory governments “over and above existing caps, for those who have been transferred back to Australia to be quarantined in appropriate facilities to support their quarantine”.

Foreign Minister Marise Payne said it was a “complex and challenging situation” to get Australians safely to the airport.

“We do seek and urge the Taliban, all parties, to allow and assist with safe passage out of the country for those who are seeking to leave,” she added.

Australia hopes to evacuate up to 600 Australians if the mission goes to plan including, Afghans who worked alongside Australian troops and their families.

There are 100 Australian permanent residents and citizens in Afghanistan right but that number is estimated at around 200 when their family is included. There are also up to 400 locally engaged employees.

“This will be done in as orderly fashion as is possible in the circumstances. We need to be very clear who is getting on our planes, who is getting on our planes, who is going to our base and going to come here and live in Australia,” the PM said.

“We have to be very, very clear about that. We are taking all the sensible precautions but moving urgently to address the very real need in these stressful conditions.”

The airport has been a scene of chaos in recent days as desperate Afghans plunged to their death after trying to cling to military planes as they took off from the airport.

Defence Minister Peter Dutton said all Australian embassy staff, our Defence staff had already been evacuated.

“Our first priority, of course, is Australian citizens, so roughly about 130 across the country but if people are outside of Kabul it’s obviously incredibly difficult to get them to Kabul and to the airport,’’ he said.

“We’re also prioritising New Zealand citizens. We’ve been working very close with the New Zealanders and we will provide assistance to them.

“And of course, those that have visas, the locally engaged employees, the Afghani nationals that we want to see come out but already since April we have brought out 430 people out which has been a very significant undertaking and a ramping up of the government’s activity and the desire to get those people out.”

RELATED: Australia’s desperate rescue mission

A US plan took off overloaded earlier this week to rescue as many people as possible. Picture: Capt. Chris Herbert / US Airforce / AFP

Confirmation of the mission comes as the Prime Minister warned Australia will not be able to help all the Afghans who worked with Australian troops.

“We will continue to do everything we can for those who have stood with us, as we have to this day,” he said.

“But I want to talk openly to veterans that despite our best efforts, I know that support won’t reach all that it should.

“On the ground events have overtaken many efforts, we wish it were different.”

RELATED: Taliban gives first press conference after takeover

Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid looks on as he addresses the first press conference in Kabul on August 17, 2021 following the Taliban stunning takeover of Afghanistan. Picture: Hoshang Hashimi / AFP

The Prime Minister has been under pressure in recent days over the failure to evacuate people earlier.

“You were saying you were aware of the deteriorating situation in Afghanistan since May, closed the embassy at that time,” one reporter said.

“Why did it take until now, mid-August, to send these 250 personnel and can you rule out that any of them that have been sent are in any way connected to the Brereton inquiry?”

The Prime Minister, visibly frustrated at the line of questioning, snapped back at the reporter for “casting slurs”.

“These are 250 Australians answering the call of their government to go and help Australians in need, and you’re questioning their integrity,” he responded.

“They’re going to do their service in our uniform and in our name. I respect it and I would ask others to respect it also and not to cast slurs against their integrity.”