LAST UPDATE | 7 Oct 2021

A FURTHER 25 Irish citizens and dependents have been successfully evacuated from Afghanistan, Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney has announced.

The 15 citizens and 10 dependents travelled from Kabul to Doha late on Wednesday on a specially organised flight with the support of Qatar.

Coveney said: “This is a huge relief and testament to the ability of our consular team in Dublin and the region who have worked tirelessly through diplomatic channels to access last night’s flight.”

The 25 citizens and dependents have been met by a consular team in Doha who will assess their needs before they travel on to Ireland.

Coveney said that the latest group is made up of 15 Irish passport holders and 10 “dependents”.

Previously 63 citizens or dependents were evacuated from Afghanistan, with the latest mission bringing the total number to 88.

Coveney added: “We remain aware and in contact with other citizens who still want to leave Afghanistan and our work with key partners will continue to achieve this.

“Ireland is also committed to its international obligations to help vulnerable Afghan refugees and groups of people in that category continue to arrive or be in transit.”

Speaking to RTE Radio this morning Coveney said that the Irish diplomatic team in Doha had negotiated seats on a plane which was leaving Kabul.

“We will keep working with our citizens and their families to make sure that we find a way to get those that want to leave out as soon as possible, and of course we’re working with many others as well.

“Afghan citizens who are Irish residents who are looking to try to leave. And of course we now have well over 400 people who have been given visa waivers on refugee status to come to Ireland as well so the work in the context of helping people to leave Afghanistan who wants to leave continues.

“And we have made a good step forward this evening for our citizens and their family members, and we look forward to welcoming them home,” he added.

With reporting from the Press Association.

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