Yle has learned that Finland will stop air transport from Afghanistan on Friday, although about 170 people are still waiting to be evacuated to Finland. According to the Ministry for Foreign Affairs, not everyone on Finland’s list may have time to leave Afghanistan by the deadline.
About 250 people had been brought to Finland from Afghanistan by Tuesday evening, the foreign minister said Pekka Haavisto (Green). Most are women and children.
Of these, 150 are Afghans who worked with their families at the Finnish Embassy, the EU operation and the NATO crisis management operation.
The remaining 100 are Finnish citizens or persons who have a permanent residence permit in Finland and who have requested consular assistance.
All recent local employees of the Finnish Embassy and their families have been evacuated from Afghanistan.
Der Artikel geht nach dem Bild weiter
Finland decided to evacuate 128 other people – who are they?
The Finnish government decided on Tuesday that it intends to import 128 more people from Afghanistan in addition to those previously approved.
The group includes 45 former employees of the Embassy of Finland in Kabul with their families and 83 guards of the embassy with their families. These are Afghans who have asked Finland for security.
Finland has previously decided to help bring 170 Afghans to Finland. They are people who have worked for Finland, the EU or NATO, as well as family members.
The latest decision brought a total of 298 Afghans. They are considered in danger because they have worked for the West.
Der Artikel geht nach dem Bild weiter
How many more people are still waiting to be evacuated?
Towards the end of Tuesday, there were still an estimated 170 people in Afghanistan waiting to be evacuated to Finland.
These included about 20 Finnish citizens or permanent residence permit holders who had applied for consular assistance, and about 150 locals who had worked in Finland, the EU or NATO.
Der Artikel geht nach dem Bild weiter
In what condition are the evacuees?
Those who arrived in Finland have not had any serious physical injuries Krista Lyyra vom Ministerium für Soziales und Gesundheit.
Evacuees meet at the Finnish airport with a support team that provides coronavirus testing and immediate health care, finds out their need for help and provides discussion support. Initially, there has been a need for food and clothing in particular.
“These people have boarded the plane without luggage or property, so they have nothing but the clothes they were wearing,” Lyyra told Yle.
Der Artikel geht nach dem Bild weiter
What happens to the evacuees in Finland?
The Finnish Immigration Service (Migri) is responsible for receiving Afghans in Finland. They have been promised a four-year residence permit.
New entrants are first placed in reception centers around Finland. Once personal data and biometric identifiers have been collected from them, they must be transferred to different municipalities.
Pekka Nuutinen, The head of the reception unit of the Finnish Immigration Service said that Migri is able to accommodate hundreds of people even at short notice.
"In 2015, 30,000 people were accommodated within a couple of months. This, of course, has kept our situation center busy, and we have been working around the clock, Nuutinen said.
According to Nuutinen, those who have arrived have been tired and relieved, but worried.
"Most have left close relatives in Afghanistan. The concern about them is great. Access to Kabul Airport and the whole process have certainly been difficult," Nuutinen said.
Der Artikel geht nach dem Bild weiter
Will everyone on the list be safe before the end of the month?
The time for the evacuation is running out, because according to Yle’s sources, Finland will have to complete its operation on Friday. According to the Ministry for Foreign Affairs, not everyone on the Finnish list may have time to get out of Afghanistan by then.
"It is very possible that in the time available, we may not be able to help everyone at this point. We are now focusing on aviation. We will then look at other methods and evaluate how these people can be helped in the future, he said Pekka Kaihilahti, Special Representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for Afghanistan.
When air traffic ends, routes to neighboring countries may be possible. The borders between Iran and Pakistan, for example, are still partially open.
Der Artikel geht nach dem Bild weiter
Has Finnish troops been in danger?
According to Yle sources, Finnish troops have not been exposed to threats at Kabul airport. They have not had to use their weapons.
Finland sent 30 soldiers to Kabul Airport to secure the evacuation to Finland. Soldiers can only secure the operation at and in the immediate vicinity of the airport. Defense Forces security forces arrived in the area on Saturday.
The Defense Forces support operation for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has so far gone very well, the lieutenant commander said Matti Sirkkola, a senior official in the Ministry of Defense.
"The results speak for themselves. However, the end of the time available is a fact that has been prepared for by the planned termination of this operation. The aim is for Finnish officials and the security unit to be evacuated after the end of the operation. For the time being, the Kabul field continues to operate," Sirkkola said.
The images in this story have been provided by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for media use. The ministry has blurred the faces of civilians to protect their privacy.
Quelle: Die nordische Seite