“We have commenced the operation as early as June when the situation in Afghanistan began to deteriorate. It was then that we brought the first allies to Poland, including translators and people who had cooperated with us for many years, as well as some Poles who had served in Afghanistan as part of the international peacekeeping mission”, said Prime Minister Morawiecki during a joint conference with Afghanistan's ambassador to Poland, Tahir Quadiry.

Poland evacuates over 1,000 people from Afghanistan

A total of 44 flights were conducted as part of the operation, with more than 1,100 people airlifted out of Afghanistan, including 937 Afghan nationals who had cooperated with Polish troops or diplomatic corps. Such persons have had a chance to evacuate along with their families. Poland also provided assistance to citizens and governments of other countries, including Lithuania, Estonia, the Netherlands, Czechia and Germany, as well as such organisations as the International Olympic Committee and the International Monetary Fund. Families from Germany and the Netherlands were also airlifted to Poland.

Foreign nationals have been provided with accommodation, meals, personal hygiene products, psychological and general medical help, as well as material assistance, including clothing and toys for children. A procedure has been initiated to allow evacuated Afghans to apply for international protection. Actions aimed at facilitating their integration will also be implemented.

Efficient action by Polish services

The Ministry of National Defence carried out the first evacuation operations as early as June 2021 to evacuate a dozen people and their families. Additionally, an inter-ministerial team headed by the Minister of Interior and Administration was established to deal with the dislocation of evacuees.

Following the session of the Council of Ministers on 17 August this year, Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki, the Minister of National Defence, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Minister of Interior and Administration discussed the issue of evacuating from Afghanistan the people who had worked with the Polish military contingent. The Prime Minister obliged the ministers to verify archived documentation dating back several years to ensure that Poland grants refuge to anyone that has ever cooperated with it.

European Union, NATO acclaim the efficiency of Polish services

Poland was requested to assist in the airlift and evacuation operation. On 20 August, Prime Minister Morawiecki spoke with NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg. It was agreed that our country would be responsible for the evacuation of and ensuring safe transport for 500 people who have cooperated with the North Atlantic Alliance in recent years. The evacuees were first brought to Poland and then transferred to other NATO countries.

Kristalina Georgieva, IMF Managing Director, expressed her gratitude for the actions of Polish services and thanked PM Morawiecki for protection and for conducting an efficient evacuation.

We take our responsibilities towards our allies very seriously and our participation in NATO operations related to the Afghan crisis is far from over.

Afghanistan airport and people’s safety

Despite the difficulties in handling the situation at the Kabul Airport, the evacuation proceeded smoothly. Details had to be kept confidential due to security reasons. To airlift the evacuees faster and more efficiently, an airbridge was established between Kabul and Navoi in Uzbekistan. Transportation between Uzbekistan itself and Warsaw was provided by LOT Polish Airlines flights.

The evacuation was carried out based on constantly updated lists, as coordinated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in cooperation with other institutions and services. The Polish Army evacuated to Poland everyone who reported such a need. This included persons who cooperated with Polish troops during operations in Afghanistan. The soldiers deployed to assist in the Kabul operation have yet again proven that they can act rapidly and efficiently in a crisis.