16 Georgians evacuated from Kabul already in Tbilisi

The last sixteen Georgian citizens remaining in Afghanistan following the Taliban’s capture of Kabul on August 15, arrived in Tbilisi earlier today after their evacuation from Kabul on August 20. 

• All Georgian citizens evacuated from Afghanistan

Deputy Head of the Administration of the Government of Georgia Revaz Javelidze and Deputy Foreign Minister Aleksandre Khvtisiashvili were waiting for them at Tbilisi international airport. 

Javelidze said that the evacuation process of Georgian citizens from Afghanistan ‘was very complicated’ and it was made possible thanks to the support of the US, UK, Turkey and Hungary. 

The Georgian government has done its utmost. The foreign ministry was on a round-clock contact with us.  Our colleagues were asking who we were and why there was so much attention towards us," one of the returned Georgian citizens Levan Janiashvili told journalists.  

According to media reports the 16 individuals were evacuated via a British charter flight which landed in Dubai. 

In total 24 Georgian citizens, all former soldiers who worked for Canadian and American companies, were in Kabul. 

Six of the 24 individuals returned to Georgia on August 18 via a Hungarian charter flight, while two others left the country the next day with the help of the company where they were employed and the involvement of the Georgian government. 

US, British and Turkish soldiers are currently operating the Kabul airport, as crowds are trying to flee the country. 

• Georgian soldiers leaving Afghanistan along with NATO, US forces

President Ashraf Ghani fled the country shortly before the Taliban took control of Kabul and declared its victory.