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ARCHIVED - First Afghan evacuees touch down in Madrid
The 53 people on board were 5 Spaniards and 48 Afghans, 32 of them children
The first Spanish military aeroplane bringing evacuees out of Afghanistan touched down early on Thursday morning at the airfield of Torrejón de Ardoz, a few kilometres east of Madrid, carrying 5 Spanish nationals and 48 Afghans who have collaborated with Spanish diplomats and government staff in recent years.
Many of the Afghans are accompanied by their families, and the passengers included 32 children, while the Spanish government continues to promise that other Afghan collaborators will be brought to Spain over the next few days. Exact numbers have not been given, but at least two more flights are known to be planned between Thursday and the weekend.
Having been evacuated from Kabul, the refugees were taken to Dubai in the UAE before boarding the Airbus A400M aircraft which brought them to Madrid on an 8-hour flight. They are now being tested for coronavirus and will remain in quarantine at temporary accommodation for at least 72 hours.
Among those welcoming them at Torrejón de Ardoz was José Manuel Albares, the Spanish Minister for the Exterior, the EU and Cooperation, who stated that the only Spaniards remaining in Afghanistan are those whose presence is necessary in order to oversee the evacuation operation.
Images: @sanchezcastejon, Ministerio de Defensa