Smooth evacuation from Kabul show Turkish army’s power: Defense minister

KAYSERİ

Despite the tension and intensity at the Kabul International Airport following the Taliban’s takeover, the smooth and speedy evacuation of the Turkish troops and other officials has proved the strength of the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK), the defense minister has said.

Defense Minister Hulusi Akar, along with top military brass, met the Turkish troops who were brought to Turkey from Afghanistan at a special ceremony held at an airbase in Kayseri on Sept. 1. The Turkish troops could be evacuated from the messy airport in full security, Akar said.

“Turkish Task Force in Afghanistan has taken on important missions in line with the NATO and the U.N. resolutions,” he stated, recalling that the Turkish troops were protecting the airport since 2015.

“In this frame, around 20,000 Turkish troops have served in Afghanistan since 2002. But speedily changing conditions following NATO’s decision to leave Afghanistan obliged us to review our mission,” he said, adding that the entire pull-back process was completed within 48 hours.

“As Turkey, we will continue to follow the developments in this region afterward,” he added.